Quality and outcomes of individual supported living arrangements for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This project identifies service quality aspects contributing to positive outcomes in individual supported living arrangements that enable adults with developmental disabilities to live in their own homes. 150 arrangements will be evaluated across Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, providing evidence of service quality in support of people with disability hav ....Quality and outcomes of individual supported living arrangements for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This project identifies service quality aspects contributing to positive outcomes in individual supported living arrangements that enable adults with developmental disabilities to live in their own homes. 150 arrangements will be evaluated across Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, providing evidence of service quality in support of people with disability having choice and control in their living arrangements.Read moreRead less
Dignity Therapy: A Novel Psychotherapeutic Intervention for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Patients near the End of Life. Considering the scarcity of effective interventions for the kinds of distress and suffering that so commonly occur amongst MND dying patients, this novel therapeutic intervention could become a very easy, practical intervention adopted within palliative care facilities and MND organisations. Unlike most palliative care interventions, this approach, leading to the production of a ....Dignity Therapy: A Novel Psychotherapeutic Intervention for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Patients near the End of Life. Considering the scarcity of effective interventions for the kinds of distress and suffering that so commonly occur amongst MND dying patients, this novel therapeutic intervention could become a very easy, practical intervention adopted within palliative care facilities and MND organisations. Unlike most palliative care interventions, this approach, leading to the production of a generativity document, has the important added potential benefit of being a powerful bereavement intervention for carers. The potential benefits of this intervention could lead to a reduction in in-patient admissions and a reduced need for respite for both the person with MND and the family carer.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.
Evaluating the feasibility and effect of using a hospital wide coordinated approach to introduce evidence-based changes for pain management. This project will develop a comprehensive educational program and approach to pain management for public and private hospitals that could be used by other hospitals elsewhere. An educational program for hospitals staff, and specifically for Pain Resource Nurses, will be produced. This project has the potential to minimise the experience of pain and prevent ....Evaluating the feasibility and effect of using a hospital wide coordinated approach to introduce evidence-based changes for pain management. This project will develop a comprehensive educational program and approach to pain management for public and private hospitals that could be used by other hospitals elsewhere. An educational program for hospitals staff, and specifically for Pain Resource Nurses, will be produced. This project has the potential to minimise the experience of pain and prevent widespread complications associated with pain for all hospitalised patients, irrespective of diagnosis or reason for admission. It is also envisaged that this project will establish a model of change that could be used to facilitate evidence-based practice in other aspects of healthcare apart from pain.Read moreRead less
A prospective evaluation of the impact of the nurse practitioner role on emergency department service and outcomes. The local hospital emergency department (ED) is a prominent and highly utilised service in Australian communities but demand on EDs is increasing, resulting in significant service delays. This project will study the composition of ED clinical teams around Australia and their impact on improving the timeliness and quality of emergency clinical care.
Developing and testing a decision system for identifying housing options, mapping preferences and evaluating priorities in the disability market. Disability housing is problematic, largely because stakeholders find it difficult to agree on priorities whilst incorporating consumer needs and wants for housing. This project seeks to develop a systematic approach to improve multi-stakeholder decision making that can increase the reliability of decisions and improve consumer outcomes. Innovation lies ....Developing and testing a decision system for identifying housing options, mapping preferences and evaluating priorities in the disability market. Disability housing is problematic, largely because stakeholders find it difficult to agree on priorities whilst incorporating consumer needs and wants for housing. This project seeks to develop a systematic approach to improve multi-stakeholder decision making that can increase the reliability of decisions and improve consumer outcomes. Innovation lies in its customer oriented design and application of business models in the disability sector as well as its integrated disciplinary approach. The research design has not been applied in the Australian research context and aims to provide a much needed blueprint for market investment to develop viable, consumer directed, disability housing options.Read moreRead less
The prevalence and impact of intellectual disability among Indigenous Australians in Western Australia. There is limited information on the extent and impact of intellectual disability among Indigenous Australians. The proposed project will develop a credible baseline picture of intellectual disability among Indigenous Australians in Western Australia by investigating the true prevalence, clinical and sociodemographic correlates, and morbidity and mortality patterns. It builds on a successful co ....The prevalence and impact of intellectual disability among Indigenous Australians in Western Australia. There is limited information on the extent and impact of intellectual disability among Indigenous Australians. The proposed project will develop a credible baseline picture of intellectual disability among Indigenous Australians in Western Australia by investigating the true prevalence, clinical and sociodemographic correlates, and morbidity and mortality patterns. It builds on a successful collaborative relationship between Disability Services Commission of WA and academia; and is unique in integrating information from multiple data sources. The findings will have direct health and social benefits by providing information on which to base appropriate health strategies and care networks to service particular needs.Read moreRead less
To implement and evaluate flexible models of palliative care service delivery for terminally ill people living alone at home. Provision of evaluated services for this growing population group will lead to better planning and implementation of care being delivered at home, improved quality of life, increased capacity to die at home, and a reduction in hospitalisations and other health care costs.
Implementing and evaluating the impact of the Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool (CSNAT) in community palliative care. The support needs of family caregivers at end of life will be assessed using a comprehensive tool and addressed by service providers to improve carers' psychological and physical wellbeing, carer burden, bereavement outcomes and the likelihood of the patient achieving their preferred place of death.
Support services for people with intellectual disability: the cost of meeting and not meeting the need. Presently, governments in Australia operate in the absence of rigorous empirical data on the real cost of providing and not providing the support that people with intellectual disability need in order to participate in the life of our community. This research will provide unique information which will be of value to governments as they assess policy frameworks and budget priorities associate ....Support services for people with intellectual disability: the cost of meeting and not meeting the need. Presently, governments in Australia operate in the absence of rigorous empirical data on the real cost of providing and not providing the support that people with intellectual disability need in order to participate in the life of our community. This research will provide unique information which will be of value to governments as they assess policy frameworks and budget priorities associated with the provision of support services that people with intellectual disability and their families need. The contribution this research will make to government decision making will ultimately benefit all people with intellectual disability, their families and our community.Read moreRead less