Resilient ageing and the oldest-old in the Australian longitudinal study of ageing. This project will provide a better understanding of resiliency (positive adaptation) in oldest-old Australians (85 plus). At a time in history when the population is ageing at an unprecedented rate, understanding how the oldest-old respond adaptively to age-related challenges is critically important to informing ageing policies and service provision.
The dynamics of spousal relationships in very late life: transitions, psychological health and longevity. This research will provide a rare insight into the dynamics of very-long term successful marriages. It will also provide an understanding of the dyad in ageing well. In a society where a large percentage of marriages end in divorce, this work has the potential to identify individual differences factors that are conducive to sustaining the marital relationship. In addition, an examination o ....The dynamics of spousal relationships in very late life: transitions, psychological health and longevity. This research will provide a rare insight into the dynamics of very-long term successful marriages. It will also provide an understanding of the dyad in ageing well. In a society where a large percentage of marriages end in divorce, this work has the potential to identify individual differences factors that are conducive to sustaining the marital relationship. In addition, an examination of how couples from different socio-economic backgrounds navigate later life in their own homes or during key late life transitions will also be beneficial for those individuals or policy makers planning for these transitions.Read moreRead less
How Individual and Societal Resources Contribute to Ageing Well through the Fourth Age: The Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing. People aged 85 and over represent the fastest growing sector of the Australian population. It is estimated that by 2051 Australia will be home to between 1.6 million and 2.7 million 85+ year olds. This project fills a pressing need for knowledge about determinants of quality of life, resilience and successful ageing in this rarely studied age group. Detailed inform ....How Individual and Societal Resources Contribute to Ageing Well through the Fourth Age: The Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing. People aged 85 and over represent the fastest growing sector of the Australian population. It is estimated that by 2051 Australia will be home to between 1.6 million and 2.7 million 85+ year olds. This project fills a pressing need for knowledge about determinants of quality of life, resilience and successful ageing in this rarely studied age group. Detailed information drawn from over 300 participants, all aged 85 and over, will lead the way to providing Australian communities and policy-makers with the understanding needed to plan for and manage this important demographic transition, and develop services directed at optimising health, functioning and meaningful engagement.Read moreRead less
Prefrontal and medial temporal lobe cortices' interactions to episodic long-term memory. Current models of episodic memory in humans are incomplete. They mostly consider only one of the two brain systems known to be critical to this cognitive ability. This project will propose the first comprehensive model of episodic memory and, in doing so, will advance our knowledge of human memory systems and will maintain Australian research competitiveness in a domain that is fast evolving. This research c ....Prefrontal and medial temporal lobe cortices' interactions to episodic long-term memory. Current models of episodic memory in humans are incomplete. They mostly consider only one of the two brain systems known to be critical to this cognitive ability. This project will propose the first comprehensive model of episodic memory and, in doing so, will advance our knowledge of human memory systems and will maintain Australian research competitiveness in a domain that is fast evolving. This research contributes to ageing well, ageing productively. Because memory deficits are becoming increasingly common in our ageing population and may represent a sign of dementia, accurate evaluation of episodic memory integrity is essential.Read moreRead less