Our mission is to improve the wellbeing of seniors

I had spent the majority of my career in technology but went back to study social impact over 8 years ago to explore new ways in which we could use technology to create impact.

While studying at UNSW, my father-in-law Arthur was diagnosed with dementia, and he quickly deteriorated and went into care. I witnessed first-hand both the change in his behaviours and the challenges for staff in managing him in care. At the same time, I experienced silent disco technology for the first time and simply loved the immersive and joyful experience it created. 

I realised that silent disco technology could be applied to this problem in an entirely new way. I knew exactly what music Arthur liked and the power of music and reminiscing for dementia. One day, I trialled it with Arthur as he sat slumped in a chair – he looked up, his eyes twinkled, and he came alive dancing to his favourite song Fly Me to the Moon with the staff. 

From that moment, I knew the challenge was how to not only solve for my father-in-law but all residents in care at scale. I had to find a way to make it easy for staff to offer not just any music but meaningful and personal experiences to all residents. A small initial pilot study proved the concept not only worked but was a much-needed and well-received solution for aged care staff. It also dramatically assisted carers in supporting seniors living with dementia – in a fun, engaging, and completely innovative way. It was a world first.

Since that moment, Resparke has continued to expand on the initial concept, growing our content platform exponentially in response to everything homes needed during the challenging years of the pandemic. We have now trained thousands of staff and supported hundreds of homes across Australia and NZ. We know from the many stories that most importantly, thousands of residents have experienced exactly the same moment I shared with my father-in-law over 8 years ago.

We also wouldn’t be anywhere without the wonderful community of residents and supportive staff in aged care homes across Australia – thank you for believing in us and using Resparke in so many creative ways! We look forward to supporting our customers to create many more magical moments of engagement and connection.