Keyton, Silverchain team up to support villages. Keyton retirement living residents will be able to access home care through Silverchain thanks to a new collaborative care and wellbeing program. (iStock.com/svetikd) Retirement living operator Keyton and home care provider Silverchain are collaborating on a new initiative that provides home care support to Keyton village residents so they can remain independent at home as they age. The initiative covers both the Commonwealth Home Support Program and Support at Home and aims to help Keyton residents across 63 of the operator's 66 communities decide if, when and how they access support. Residents remain free to choose a different provider if they wish. The collaborative care and wellbeing program will formally launch in 2027, but information and care navigation services are available already. Keyton chief executive officer Paul Martin said the collaboration will provide "trusted wellbeing and support services" when residents need them, while "preserving their independence, choice and control" in accessing care. The collaboration also reflects a shared commitment to helping older Australians live well for longer, he said. "People want the confidence to remain living independently in the communities they love, even as their needs evolve," Mr Martin said. "With Keyton's expertise in retirement living and Silverchain's experience in navigating the care system, we are creating a connective and supportive experience for residents." For Silverchain chief executive Dale Fisher, the collaboration is about making it easier for residents to find trusted advice and get support earlier, rather than having to navigate a complex system by themselves. "Our ambition is to create a better home care system for all Australians. Collaborations like this help us realise that ambition by connecting more people with the care they need to remain healthy and independent at home," Ms Fisher said. "Keyton residents will have access to trusted information, care navigation and wellbeing activities from Silverchain, with the option to liaise directly with Silverchain to access services including personal care, nursing and allied health. "We know the care system can be difficult to navigate, so Silverchain's experts will be available to support Keyton residents to find and access services to help maintain their health and wellbeing."

Sweet treats offer fresh hope for wound healing. 19/10/2026 Chocolate brownies, ice cream and lime cheesecake gelato could help make better nutrition more appealing for Australians living with painful, slow-healing wounds. Edith Cowan University (ECU) researchers have teamed up with aged care provider Silverchain to trial specially developed foods packed with fruit, vegetables and protein. Delivered through weekly food boxes, the foods aim to improve participants' diets and support wound healing while offering familiar flavours they enjoy. The project focuses on people living with venous leg ulcers and persistent fluid leakage, sometimes described as "leaky legs". These conditions can cause ongoing pain, discomfort and limited mobility, affecting quality of life for years. People with chronic wounds can also experience nutrient depletion and face a risk of malnutrition, including protein deficiency, making adequate nourishment an important part of their care. Researchers from ECU's Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute have worked with professional chefs to develop foods that deliver more nutrients in a regular serving. ECU senior lecturer and head of the Future Foods and Digital Gastronomy lab, Dr Liezhou Zhong, said the approach centred on making nutritious eating easier. "This way they can eat 'supercharged' and delicious whole foods, not supplements or ultra-processed extracts. For example, one average sized chocolate brownie contains three serves of vegetables," Dr Zhong said. "We want to make it easier for people to have a healthy diet. So, we developed our 'future foods' ice cream and brownies by packing more fruit and vegetables into a regular serving size, but also a high protein content, to promote good health and support healing." Alongside brownies and ice cream, the menu includes lime cheesecake gelato, vegetable soups and muffins. Foods have been carefully developed and selected to suit participants' preferences, helping make them an appealing addition to everyday meals. Silverchain's National Director of Research and Evidence, Adjunct Professor Karen Smith, said the impact of persistent wounds extended well beyond the skin. "Patients with 'Leaky Legs' usually have an extremely poor quality of life because of limited mobility - as well as pain and discomfort - which can continue for many years." She said Silverchain tended to about 57,500 wounds each year, with demand expected to grow as the population gets older. The trial will explore whether these appealing, nutrient-rich foods can offer a practical way to improve nutrition and support healing. ECU Professor Josh Lewis said the longer-term aim was to help people maintain a better-quality diet. "If patients experience the benefits firsthand, this may be an easy and practicable way to improve their overall diet quality in the long term, which is essential for wound healing, reducing hospital readmissions and keeping people healthier at home," he said. Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the project brings together ECU, Silverchain, Curtin University, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital.