Thursday Three - 07 May 2026

• All remaining AAG Research Trust grants open on 11th May!

• Review of the Modified Monash Model (MMM) for remoteness classification system for aged care: Final Report

• SECG Blog: What Consumers Taught Me That Research Papers Never Could - Dr Celene Yap

All remaining AAG Research Trust grants open 11th May!

The AAG Research Trust currently manages four grant programs supporting ageing research, with the RM Gibson program already open and taking applications.

From Monday, 11 May, three more opportunities are available to eligible AAG members:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Grant: Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early to mid-career researchers to develop evidence-based knowledge on ageing from their perspective, with one grant of up to $25,000, plus a potential additional grant funded by the Dementia Australia Research Foundation (DARF) for projects with a primary dementia focus.

Hal Kendig Research Development Program: For early-career researchers (not practitioners) working on projects benefiting vulnerable older adults, with two grants of up to $25,000.

Strategic Innovation Program: Open to all AAG members, with particular encouragement to early and mid-career researchers, aiming to improve the experience of ageing through innovation, offering up to two grants of $25,000, plus potential additional funding focused on dementia in partnership with DARF.

Follow the above links for each program for more information, including eligibility, how to apply, specific program guidelines and a copy of the 2026 AAG Research Trust FAQs.

Applications to the RM Gibson program close at 5:00PM, Monday, 25 May 2026.

All remaining grant programs close at 5:00PM, Monday, 22 June 2026.

Review of the Modified Monash Model (MMM) for remoteness classification system for aged care: Final Report

In many Australian rural, regional and remote (RRR) areas, delivering and accessing aged care services pose unique challenges. Various approaches and policies aim to improve access by targeting funding and support to underserved markets. With one-third of older Australians in RRR areas and about 3,600 providers operating there, effective policies and funding are vital.

The Modified Monash Model (MMM), introduced in 2015, classifies remoteness to guide funding and support allocation. Access is often limited and costly in these areas, making it vital for the MMM to be fit for purpose, ensuring service continuity, accessibility, and provider choice, especially for those with high care needs, dementia, or requiring culturally appropriate care.

A late-2025 review by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing assessed whether the MMM remains suitable for targeting funding in RRR areas (in direct response to Recommendation 17 of the Aged Care Taskforce Final Report) and supporting new RRR aged care policy development.

The final report presents the findings and recommendations from the Department’s review.

SECG Blog: What Consumers Taught Me That Research Papers Never Could - Dr Celene Yap

Ever left a meeting thinking, “Why didn’t we just ask the people who live this every day?” Dr Celene Yap had the same thought after sitting down with older consumers and carers as part of her work on emergency department care. Research papers can show what’s common, but these conversations revealed what it’s really like - what helps, what harms, and what gets missed when everyone is rushed. One consumer summed up good care in three simple words: “listen, listen, listen.”

In this month’s Student and Early Career Group (SECG) blog, Dr Yap shares three practical lessons that stayed with her, and why consumer consultation can bring the “why” back into health services research.

Read this and past editions of the SECG Blog online today.