Aged care projects recognised at Good Design Awards

Winners of the 2023 Good Design Awards have been announced, with projects and solutions aimed at the aged care industry being recognised for design excellence.

Evaluating over 900 entries, the awards reward, recognise and promote the value of design at a local, national and international level.

Dr Brandon Gien, CEO of Good Design Australia and Chair of the Australian Good Design Awards, said, “To be recognised with an Australian Good Design Award tells the world this project not only represents design excellence, but it also surpasses the criteria for design innovation and design impact.”

App to help residents stay connected, informed

Ryman Healthcare bagged the Digital Design Apps and Software Green Tick Award in conjunction with New Zealand-based digital transformation partner Journey Digital for the myRyman Resident app, designed to help residents stay connected and informed.

Developed following 275+ hours of interviews, user testing and co-design sessions with over 150 residents, the app allows residents to create their own schedules, book events and receive reminder alerts.

The solution needed to be inclusive, accommodating the needs of residents with cognitive decline and visual impairments, while ensuring that everyone felt comfortable and confident. More than 74% of independent residents at the 34 villages the app has been rolled out at have access to the app and 98% of those with the app use it weekly, according to a statement by Ryman.

Ryman Healthcare Chief Experience and Engagement Officer Mary-Anne Stone said, “This award celebrates our desire to put technology that will enhance freedom, connection and wellbeing in the hands of our residents.

“But more than that, it’s about Ryman’s commitment to co-designing with residents. Working together, we can better understand how our services can evolve to meet needs and preferences, and how technologies need to work from our residents’ perspective, to support those services.”

The close partnership between Ryman’s technology team and its digital transformation partner Journey Digital was integral to the app’s success.

Journey Digital Head of Strategy and Design Amanda Stonex said, “Collaborating with Ryman Healthcare and its residents on the myRyman Resident App has been a remarkable journey. Our focus was a deep empathy for the residents, delivering the highest standards of accessibility, pairing it with a beautiful interface to genuinely elevate the resident experience.”

Retirement living

Pavilions Blackburn Lake, a retirement living project developed by the Seventh Day Adventist Church and designed by VIA Architects, has also been recognised at this year’s Good Design Awards. The project “tackles multiple challenges in the seniors living sector, such as resident quality of life and community integration”, according to the Good Design Awards.

“VIA Architects leveraged principals of human-centric design in their approach to the brief for Pavilions Blackburn Lake. Outdoor common areas and meandering walking paths encourage residents to connect with each other and their surrounding environment while addressing feelings of isolation that are often reported among retirees. The integration of an inner-city-style café breaks down social barriers by connecting residents with the broader community, and the conservation zones throughout the grounds prioritise sustainability while harnessing profound physical, social and mental health benefits for residents. The project exemplifies empathetic design and architecture that responds to its context.”

Functional furniture

Brisbane-founded furniture company SYSTM’s work in aged care furniture, in collaboration with Clandestine Design Group, was recognised in the Product: Furniture and Lighting category.

“The project cleverly responds to design challenges to contribute to a better environment for carers and patients,” the Good Design Awards Jury commented.

“The Jury commends the design team for creating a meaningful solution that clearly demonstrates a deep level of empathy for the most vulnerable people in our society,” the Jury said.

SYSTM’s innovation lies in its furniture’s ability to be dismantled easily for thorough and hygienic cleaning, as well as the unique propriety key and bolt design of its onsite upholstery. With a few clicks, furniture is reupholstered onsite with no professional help required. Providers can now also clean furniture like never before with access to every area of the chair.

“The genesis of this came from the Royal Commission asking our industry to do better, and we decided to take on that challenge,” SYSTM founder and director Ian Reinhardt said in his acceptance speech.

Since officially launching in May 2023, SYSTM continues to sell out of stock.

Brisbane-based Clandestine Design Group is behind SYSTM’s industrial design and was also honoured by the Good Design Awards. Clandestine founder and director Neil Davidson said, “We are incredibly proud to be recognised by the Good Design Awards for SYSTM’s innovation and impact.”

“No detail went unnoticed, with every dimension of the chair providing optimal comfort while maintaining the highest standard of hygiene,” Davidson commented.

Earlier this year, SYSTM was also named a finalist for Furniture Design of the Year at the Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards.

Image caption: Weary Dunlop Retirement Village resident Elaine Cook. Image credit: Ryman Healthcare.