The document presents a case study on a design manifesto created by Sara Rad to drive social innovation in the aged care sector. It provides background on the aging population and current failures in residential care models. The research question asks how a manifesto can influence social change. The project aims to develop a manifesto communicating shared responsibility for aged care issues. Through research including interviews, the manifesto outlines an innovative approach for policymakers. The vision is to transform beliefs about aged care through a humanistic, life-affirming model. The target audience includes those in healthcare, social services, and the retirement industry. The conclusion is that while incremental changes have occurred, a disruptive shift is needed in societal thinking and care models through a

1. CASE STUDY: SARA RAD, MASTER OF DESIGN (DISTINCTION), AUT, 2012.
Email sara.rad@me.com | moblie 021 655 013
Disrupting Aged Care. The Analysis and Development of a Design Manifesto
as Potent Change Agencies to Drive Social Innovation in Aged Care.
Background
Current technocratic and business models have failed to satisfy a new generation of elderly people, their extend family and friends.
Over the decades to come, there will be a significant increase in elderly populations due to the advancement of medical technology,
high birth rates, increased life expectancy and the baby boomers shifting into retirement. This will exert a tremendous amount of
pressure on the economy and society. Residential care industries will need to meet the demands however at present they lack the
adequate sociocultural models of care. There is a need for a new holistic model care to satisfy the socio cultural needs, wants and
desires of the 21st century’s ageing population.
Research Question
How can a manifesto be framed as a potent change agency for social innovation to transform societal beliefs of aged care?
Project aim
The purpose of the design manifesto is to universally influenced the heuristic design phases through an iterative
communicate shared responsibility and ownership across process to produce the proposed outcome.
disciplines surrounding the issues of aged care as a potent
change agent to influencing social innovation using strategic Discussion
design thinking and a compelling narrative that captivates the
audience. It will attempt to outline an innovative blue ocean This design project applied elements of strategic design thinking
approach that suggests a way for policy makers to develop to produce a tangible outcome using an interdisciplinary
policies that cater for the ageing population. approach. Due to the time frame of nine months and the scope
of the project, primary and secondary research was conducted
Vision during the immersion stage. In-depth research using semi-
The project aims to transform societal beliefs of the delivery of structure interviews with key informants and additionally
aged care using an innovative, humanistic model of care that family and friends of elderly people with experiences relating to
celebrates life and wellbeing. Additionally the vision empowers residential care in the aged care sector were carried out. Given
and cherishes elderly people so that they can have a longer time frame, and consent from AUT’s Ethics Board a
meaningful lives. transdisciplinary approach would have been used to collaborate
with elderly research participants. That would have allowed the
Target Audience practical use of human-centred design and an inclusive design
For revolutionary change to be successful there needs to thinking methodology to discover tangible insights from elderly
be collective buy-in, shared responsibility and ownership.
to shape an innovative humanistic future for aged care. The
Therefore, the target audience is multidisciplinary ranging
actionable insights would have influenced the content of the
from healthcare, social services, city planners, local
governments, designers, architects, interior designers, design manifesto providing a viewpoint from the user instead of
developers, social entrepreneurs, elderly, families, caregivers, a top down approach.
resident nurses, and retirement industry service providers.
Conclusion
Methodology and Methods It has been concluded through study and research that over the
An interdisciplinary approach was taken combining design last few decades there have been some positive and incremental
theory and action research methodologies. Empirical and changes in the aged care sector. However to have real disruptive
heuristic qualitative methods were used which included innovation as a driver for change in the delivery of aged care,
literature reviews, precedent analysis, site visits, expert
it is essential to shift societal thinking, and depart from ageism
interviews, case studies and netnography. The areas reviewed
and institutional technocratic models of care. Alternatively, to
were residential care, ageing in place, and inequalities of human
rights in the aged care sector, inspirational leadership, and captivate stakeholders through a well-told narrative that affects
human-centred design. I visited two Auckland based retirement the emotions and intellect, educates, gives ownership, and
villages. Additionally three expert interviews were conducted engenders social responsibility through commitment and social
with key informants. The insights analysis and reflection media, a design manifesto can be an extremely powerful tool.