Facilitating intuitive interaction with complex devices for older users. Poorly designed interfaces impact more strongly on older people. Helping designers to make more intuitive interfaces for older community members has great potential for improving their lives and health, and thus benefiting the community generally. Making modern devices easier for older people to use will allow them to participate more fully in society and/or the workplace. This will also help to prevent them from becoming i ....Facilitating intuitive interaction with complex devices for older users. Poorly designed interfaces impact more strongly on older people. Helping designers to make more intuitive interfaces for older community members has great potential for improving their lives and health, and thus benefiting the community generally. Making modern devices easier for older people to use will allow them to participate more fully in society and/or the workplace. This will also help to prevent them from becoming isolated and possibly depressed. This project will apply intuitive interaction to healthcare devices that older people use, which can save costly mistakes and even lives.Read moreRead less
Partnership Centre: Dealing With Cognitive And Related Functional Decline In Older People
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$12,500,000.00
Summary
The focus of this Partnership Centre is how to better apply our existing knowledge and how to create new knowledge that will directly improve support to those elderly suffering from cognitive decline, their carer’s (formal and informal) and the various agencies delivering services for them. This Partnership Centre’s Investigator Team will engage in a range of activities to improve aged care service planning (including continuity of care and risk assessments of community care); develop and implem ....The focus of this Partnership Centre is how to better apply our existing knowledge and how to create new knowledge that will directly improve support to those elderly suffering from cognitive decline, their carer’s (formal and informal) and the various agencies delivering services for them. This Partnership Centre’s Investigator Team will engage in a range of activities to improve aged care service planning (including continuity of care and risk assessments of community care); develop and implement new approaches to support informal carer’s; reduce stigma around cognitive decline in both the health care and community context; improve the size and quality of the aged care workforce; assist with decision making, rights, citizenship and related ethics through education; improve aged care regulation; promote responsible medication management; develop and disseminate up-to-date clinical guidelines; and implement proven models of care.Read moreRead less
Accommodating the Needs of People with Lifelong Intellectual Disability in Residential Aged Care. Unique challenges face the residential aged care system because of the increased life expectancy of people with life-long intellectual disability and the likelihood of their premature ageing. Although this group is recognised by Federal and State governments as requiring specific and special service arrangements, little is known about adapting disability and aged care services to their needs, thus p ....Accommodating the Needs of People with Lifelong Intellectual Disability in Residential Aged Care. Unique challenges face the residential aged care system because of the increased life expectancy of people with life-long intellectual disability and the likelihood of their premature ageing. Although this group is recognised by Federal and State governments as requiring specific and special service arrangements, little is known about adapting disability and aged care services to their needs, thus program development is in its early stages. This research will inform the development of policy and programs in the Aged Care, Disability and Health sectors with the aim of improving the quality of life for people with intellectual disability as they age.Read moreRead less
The individual, the family and the state: expectations, intergenerational obligations and constraints in providing for old age. Intergenerational equity is a principle underpinning policy debates around financing retirement and care in older age. Enhanced understanding of this cohort's expectations and obligations will assist in policy development around financing retirement and paying for care that takes account of this cohort's expectations and obligations. Further, exploring the expectations ....The individual, the family and the state: expectations, intergenerational obligations and constraints in providing for old age. Intergenerational equity is a principle underpinning policy debates around financing retirement and care in older age. Enhanced understanding of this cohort's expectations and obligations will assist in policy development around financing retirement and paying for care that takes account of this cohort's expectations and obligations. Further, exploring the expectations underpinning intergenerational exchanges from this cohort's perspective will assist in understanding the dynamics around these exchanges and lay the ground work for future research into factors that facilitate cross-generation family functioning.Read moreRead less
Managing Older People's Financial Assets in Aged Care Facilities: The Intersection of Legal and Care Requirements and Financial Management Practices. This project will provide important new knowledge and propose changes to policy, practice and legislation that will promote older people's independence and choice in how their financial affairs are managed. The physical and cognitive frailty of aged care facility residents is increasing and their capacity to manage their assets and income is often ....Managing Older People's Financial Assets in Aged Care Facilities: The Intersection of Legal and Care Requirements and Financial Management Practices. This project will provide important new knowledge and propose changes to policy, practice and legislation that will promote older people's independence and choice in how their financial affairs are managed. The physical and cognitive frailty of aged care facility residents is increasing and their capacity to manage their assets and income is often limited. This study will address financial elder abuse and problems with how decisions are made on behalf of older people. Improving the legislative, policy and practice frameworks that govern the risks, rights and responsibilities of care staff and family members will assist them to appropriately support and protect older people in residential care.Read moreRead less
Increasing organisational capacity of community residential units to facilitate ageing in place for people with intellectual disability. Unique challenges face the disability, aged care and health sectors because of the increased life expectancy of people with life-long intellectual disability (ID) and the likelihood of their premature ageing. Although this group is recognised by Federal and State governments as requiring specific and special service arrangements, little is known about adapting ....Increasing organisational capacity of community residential units to facilitate ageing in place for people with intellectual disability. Unique challenges face the disability, aged care and health sectors because of the increased life expectancy of people with life-long intellectual disability (ID) and the likelihood of their premature ageing. Although this group is recognised by Federal and State governments as requiring specific and special service arrangements, little is known about adapting disability and aged care services to their needs. This research will inform the development of policy and programs in the disability, aged care, and health sectors. The research aims to improve the capacity of disability group homes to respond to the health and ageing issues of older people with ID,to improve their quality of life.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
The Management of the Assets of Older People: Prevalence, practices, preferences and responses. Industry partners with the investigators, have identified the need for foundation knowledge about asset management by and on behalf of older people. The current environment of changing legislation and demography, and the extent of the assets held offer new challenges to older people, families, public and private asset managers and substitute decision makers. This study identifies the prevalence of ass ....The Management of the Assets of Older People: Prevalence, practices, preferences and responses. Industry partners with the investigators, have identified the need for foundation knowledge about asset management by and on behalf of older people. The current environment of changing legislation and demography, and the extent of the assets held offer new challenges to older people, families, public and private asset managers and substitute decision makers. This study identifies the prevalence of asset management; the experiences of older people and their asset managers; the nature and disposition of disputed matters; the operationalisation of public and private sector asset management policies. The results will be used to develop appropriate and targeted responses to promote good practice and prevent finanical abuse.Read moreRead less
Living Alone in Australia Project (LAAP). This study investigates one aspect of the changing nature of Australia's social fabric. It asks whether the sharp rise in living alone reflects a breakdown in Australia's social fabric or simply marks a change in the way in which the fabric is woven. Living alone has important implications for social policy, service provision and housing. But before these implications are identified we need a much better understanding of who lives alone and what living ....Living Alone in Australia Project (LAAP). This study investigates one aspect of the changing nature of Australia's social fabric. It asks whether the sharp rise in living alone reflects a breakdown in Australia's social fabric or simply marks a change in the way in which the fabric is woven. Living alone has important implications for social policy, service provision and housing. But before these implications are identified we need a much better understanding of who lives alone and what living alone means for people in terms of their social ties. By understanding the causes and consequences of the increasing popularity of living alone the study will help identify those who are at ?risk? and thus assist with effective targeting of supports and interventions.Read moreRead less
A Cluster RCT Of A Novel Psychological Intervention To Reduce Depression Among At-risk Older Adults Transitioning To Residential Aged Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$893,152.00
Summary
Depression is common in aged care facilities, with many older adults finding the transition extremely difficult. We have developed a simple intervention to help new residents, including those with dementia, to adjust to life in aged care. This program focuses on key aspects of psychological wellbeing, and is designed for widespread use in aged care. We will evaluate the intervention to determine if it is superior to current care approaches in reducing depression and improving quality of life.