Facilitating active ageing in residential aged care: strategies, opportunities and future directions. Australia is undergoing a critical demographic transition: the population is ageing. By 2031, the number of older Australians requiring residential aged care will increase 63 per cent, to 1.4 million. This in-depth semi-longitudinal project will explore daily life in aged care through photography, enhancing the experience for current and future residents.
Increasing advance personal planning by older adults. This project aims to increase the uptake of advance personal planning among people aged 65 years or over in the community by developing, implementing and evaluating a community action model. People have a legal right to engage in advance personal planning, a process that helps them discuss and document their financial, personal and health preferences, in case they later lose the ability to make or communicate decisions. Few people plan ahead, ....Increasing advance personal planning by older adults. This project aims to increase the uptake of advance personal planning among people aged 65 years or over in the community by developing, implementing and evaluating a community action model. People have a legal right to engage in advance personal planning, a process that helps them discuss and document their financial, personal and health preferences, in case they later lose the ability to make or communicate decisions. Few people plan ahead, even though it can reduce the likelihood of financial exploitation, family conflict and unwanted medical care. This project aims to provide a model of community action to build capacity and collaboration across social services and improve the wellbeing of older people.Read moreRead less
Combating rising sexually transmitted infections among older Australians. This project aims to explore older Australians' knowledge of, and safe sexual practices in regards to, sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STI rates have increased rapidly amongst older age groups in recent years, yet there is a significant research gap concerning older Australians' knowledge of STIs and the preventative sexual practices they engage in. This project is understood to be the only known Australian study c ....Combating rising sexually transmitted infections among older Australians. This project aims to explore older Australians' knowledge of, and safe sexual practices in regards to, sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STI rates have increased rapidly amongst older age groups in recent years, yet there is a significant research gap concerning older Australians' knowledge of STIs and the preventative sexual practices they engage in. This project is understood to be the only known Australian study considering older people's knowledge and practices in relation to STI prevention. In examining this issue the project aims to contribute towards the development of policy and educational resources for older Australians, and is expected to work towards enabling optimal sexual health for older individuals.Read moreRead less
The relationship between rural living and wellness: what services and supports do older people need? Population ageing is having a significant impact in rural Australia, increasing the demand for community and health services. This project builds on international research to explore how best to meet the diverse needs of older people living in Australia’s rural communities.
Keeping my place in the community: achieving successful ageing-in-place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This project, in partnership with aged care and disability agencies across two states, aims to examine ways the aged care, social and health needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities may be met in rural and urban settings. It will explore mechanisms that will lead to a better integration of the aged care and disability sectors.
Visual field impairment and injury: A population-based study. This project aims to link a large-scale ophthalmic database of visual field tests to population-based injury data which includes police-reported crash data, hospitalisation, death and trauma data in people aged over 60 years. The identification of individuals with high risk visual fields will enable the development of targeted interventions at the local, national and international level to prevent injuries due to visual field loss. Si ....Visual field impairment and injury: A population-based study. This project aims to link a large-scale ophthalmic database of visual field tests to population-based injury data which includes police-reported crash data, hospitalisation, death and trauma data in people aged over 60 years. The identification of individuals with high risk visual fields will enable the development of targeted interventions at the local, national and international level to prevent injuries due to visual field loss. Significant benefits include a reduction in the number of injuries and consequent reductions in personal harm and health care demands.Read moreRead less
Financing aged care in Australia: Mitigating fiscal gaps and maintaining intergenerational equity. Aged care has been identified as a significant contributor to the growing fiscal problems predicted for Australian government finances during the next 10 to 20 years. This project will develop the cutting-edge modelling tools needed to allow Australia to make informed decisions about possible reforms in aged care financing. It will create significant national benefits by allowing detailed assessmen ....Financing aged care in Australia: Mitigating fiscal gaps and maintaining intergenerational equity. Aged care has been identified as a significant contributor to the growing fiscal problems predicted for Australian government finances during the next 10 to 20 years. This project will develop the cutting-edge modelling tools needed to allow Australia to make informed decisions about possible reforms in aged care financing. It will create significant national benefits by allowing detailed assessment of the distributional impact of a wide range of possible reforms, including how the outcomes of any policy change will affect disadvantaged sections of our society, whether different generations will be fairly treated, and the impact by gender.Read moreRead less
Strengthening leadership capacity in Australia's rapidly changing aged and community care sector. The project supports the priorities of: ageing well and promoting an innovative culture and economy and links to the goal of social inclusion. It will contribute significantly towards improved performance and efficiency in an increasingly important sector which contributes to the national economy and provides both care and employment to many Australians. Rapidly increasing demands and challenges r ....Strengthening leadership capacity in Australia's rapidly changing aged and community care sector. The project supports the priorities of: ageing well and promoting an innovative culture and economy and links to the goal of social inclusion. It will contribute significantly towards improved performance and efficiency in an increasingly important sector which contributes to the national economy and provides both care and employment to many Australians. Rapidly increasing demands and challenges require effective, competent leadership to deal with competing tensions, in turn resulting in a more resilient and sustainable industry. This will contribute to more stability, reduced staff turnover and improved outcomes for residents/clients, including through new and innovative workplace culture and practices.Read moreRead less
Emerging from the shadows: the evaluation of intervention strategies to reduce social isolation amongst the aged. Social isolation imposes a high cost on affected individuals and the community at large. This project will determine what interventions work in addressing social isolation amongst the older population.