Spotlight shines on hacks to help seniors

Some of North Queensland’s brightest minds will join together to come up with innovative ways to make our state more inclusive and age-friendly for seniors.

Minister for Seniors and Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland, Coralee O’Rourke said an age-friendly hackathon would take place at Townsville’s Innovation NQ (iNQ) today and tomorrow (2-3 June).

“Entrepreneurs, business owners, local government representatives and community members, young and old, will put their minds together to come up with ways to help make Queensland more age-friendly,” she said.

“We know that innovation can improve people’s lives, and seniors are no different, so I’m looking forward to this event inspiring new ideas and fresh thinking about how we can overcome issues affecting older Queenslanders.

“I can’t wait to see participants come up with new, exciting ways to break down barriers for seniors and help make our state more accessible for everyone.”

Participants will “hack” through four key issues that were identified through the Queensland: an age-friendly community strategy. Groups will come up with the best solutions to these issues, and present their ideas to a panel of judges.

Housing, Transport, Outdoor Spaces and Buildings, and Social Participation are the four themes that groups will be working to tackle over the two-day hackathon.

Mrs O’Rourke said the hackathon complemented the Queensland Government’s Advancing Queensland: an age-friendly community grants program.

“Our new three-year grant program will support community projects that involve partnerships with local government and other organisations to co-develop, implement and promote innovative age-friendly projects,” she said.

“Projects with a creative, user-friendly focus could receive from $25,000 to $100,000 to provide local solutions to the needs of older people within their community.

“I encourage organisations across Queensland that are interested to submit applications by 16 June 2017.”