Preventing Suicide: A psychological autopsy study of the last contact with a health professional before suicide. In Australia, 48% of all suicides in 2000 were by 35-64 year olds; an additional 13% were by 65 years and over. This study will examine the last clinical contact older suicide victims had with health professionals in order to determine whether this contact offers an opportunity for intervention. For the first time in Australia, GP's, health professionals, and the deceased's next-of-ki ....Preventing Suicide: A psychological autopsy study of the last contact with a health professional before suicide. In Australia, 48% of all suicides in 2000 were by 35-64 year olds; an additional 13% were by 65 years and over. This study will examine the last clinical contact older suicide victims had with health professionals in order to determine whether this contact offers an opportunity for intervention. For the first time in Australia, GP's, health professionals, and the deceased's next-of-kin will be interviewed to determine the context surrounding the deceased's death, and the abilities of health professionals to identify warning signs and to intervene prior to suicide. Given our ageing population, the outcomes will be significant in educating all health professionals to identify suicidal signs, and to prevent premature death in the elderly.Read moreRead less
Transition to retirement by adults with chronic disabilities: increasing community capacity. This project will contribute to healthy, productive ageing by people with chronic disabilities. This group are living longer and will retire from their disability-specific supported employment and day program services. They then risk social exclusion, loneliness and associated poor health outcomes. This project will provide training and support to local community groups and voluntary work settings, to in ....Transition to retirement by adults with chronic disabilities: increasing community capacity. This project will contribute to healthy, productive ageing by people with chronic disabilities. This group are living longer and will retire from their disability-specific supported employment and day program services. They then risk social exclusion, loneliness and associated poor health outcomes. This project will provide training and support to local community groups and voluntary work settings, to increase community capacity to support this group to participate actively in and contribute to their community in retirement. This will result in increased participation by this group and improvements in their well-being. Training resources developed by the project will be available to disability service providers nationally.Read moreRead less
Novel cellular functions of the microtubule-associated protein tau: Physiological and pathological implications. The social and economic burden of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is enormous, and by 2040 more than 500,000 Australians will suffer from this disease. A key histopathological hallmark of this and many other related diseases are insoluble deposits of the protein tau. Research into novel functions of tau in signalling and transport (both of which are heavily compromised in diseased brains) wi ....Novel cellular functions of the microtubule-associated protein tau: Physiological and pathological implications. The social and economic burden of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is enormous, and by 2040 more than 500,000 Australians will suffer from this disease. A key histopathological hallmark of this and many other related diseases are insoluble deposits of the protein tau. Research into novel functions of tau in signalling and transport (both of which are heavily compromised in diseased brains) will be followed directly by assay development for tau-directed drug screening. The national benefit of this research is manifold by (a) patenting new data, (b) developing treatment strategies for an un-curable disease, and (c) establishing links to the growing Australian biotech industry (in addition to existing links to international pharmaceutical companies).Read moreRead less
Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: Dissecting synaptosomal dysfunction in transgenic animal models. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease (AD). This project will dissect pathogenic mechanisms, identify new drug targets, and develop treatment strategies, all of which will be patented and eventually lead to a decrease in health costs in Australia. This research clearly falls under the national research priority of promoting and maintaining good health. Our findings are expected to benefit pat ....Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: Dissecting synaptosomal dysfunction in transgenic animal models. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease (AD). This project will dissect pathogenic mechanisms, identify new drug targets, and develop treatment strategies, all of which will be patented and eventually lead to a decrease in health costs in Australia. This research clearly falls under the national research priority of promoting and maintaining good health. Our findings are expected to benefit patients in addition to those suffering from AD, as pathocascades and pathogenic mechanisms are shared between a range of neurodegenerative disorders. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560916
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$323,400.00
Summary
Magnetic resonance in humans: Equipment for neuroscience studies. The structure, function and biochemistry of the human brain can now be assessed non-invasively using magnetic resonance (MR) techniques. A 3 Tesla MR facility with half its time available for research has recently been established at POWMRI. This application seeks state-of-the-art equipment so that the facility can optimise its research potential and enhance its scientific output. Research is directed to understanding how the nor ....Magnetic resonance in humans: Equipment for neuroscience studies. The structure, function and biochemistry of the human brain can now be assessed non-invasively using magnetic resonance (MR) techniques. A 3 Tesla MR facility with half its time available for research has recently been established at POWMRI. This application seeks state-of-the-art equipment so that the facility can optimise its research potential and enhance its scientific output. Research is directed to understanding how the normal brain functions, how deficits in function develop, and how the function and structure of the brain change with age. This grant will help establish an internationally-competitive, broadly-based facility which is dedicated to understanding the human brain.Read moreRead less
Quantifying cortical thickness and white matter hyperintensity volumes and determining their relationship on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in ageing brains. Australia's population is ageing, with a significant projected increase in the number of people aged over 65 and 85. Mental health and quality of life for this ageing population have become an increasingly important issue. This project directly addresses the National Research Priority 2 in the terms of ageing well, ageing productively. Accurat ....Quantifying cortical thickness and white matter hyperintensity volumes and determining their relationship on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in ageing brains. Australia's population is ageing, with a significant projected increase in the number of people aged over 65 and 85. Mental health and quality of life for this ageing population have become an increasingly important issue. This project directly addresses the National Research Priority 2 in the terms of ageing well, ageing productively. Accurately measuring the distribution of brain structural changes is an effective way of differentiating normal ageing from various pathological conditions reflecting the underlying pathology. The project has access to an unprecedented large sample of longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging and health/clinical data and will produce a set of algorithms to examine this issue and put Australia at the forefront of such research.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354827
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
HEALTHY AGEING - PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION (HA-PI) NETWORK:
A RESEARCH NETWORK PROPOSAL ON THE BIOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND PRIMARY CARE DYNAMICS OF AGEING
. Australian ageing research is dispersed across bioscience, social science and primary care organisations. Advances in healthy, productive ageing require connection of these three vital links. Bioscience and social science groupings are engaged in generating the evidence that primary care experts need to promote healthy ageing. Primary ....HEALTHY AGEING - PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION (HA-PI) NETWORK:
A RESEARCH NETWORK PROPOSAL ON THE BIOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND PRIMARY CARE DYNAMICS OF AGEING
. Australian ageing research is dispersed across bioscience, social science and primary care organisations. Advances in healthy, productive ageing require connection of these three vital links. Bioscience and social science groupings are engaged in generating the evidence that primary care experts need to promote healthy ageing. Primary care experts also need to act as ?direction finders? for research on ageing so that the right questions are addressed. All these groups are relatively under-funded and poorly connected. The HA-PI Network will connect and support them to over-come barriers to the implementation of existing research and to create innovations for the future.Read moreRead less
A Model of Integrated Care for Dependant Older People Living in the Community. This research offers significant economic, health and social benefits. Promoting and maintaining good health and ageing well, ageing productively are national priority areas. Case management and telemedicine are both recognised strategies to support chronic disease self-management. Early intervention can offer significant benefits in morbidity and mortality. Enhanced service delivery using an integrated model encompas ....A Model of Integrated Care for Dependant Older People Living in the Community. This research offers significant economic, health and social benefits. Promoting and maintaining good health and ageing well, ageing productively are national priority areas. Case management and telemedicine are both recognised strategies to support chronic disease self-management. Early intervention can offer significant benefits in morbidity and mortality. Enhanced service delivery using an integrated model encompassing general practitioners, practice nurses and community carers, could improve chronic and complex disease management and reduce health costs.Read moreRead less
The use of social marketing strategies and adult education principles to improve asthma self management in older people. Asthma is estimated to affect up to 10 per cent of people aged 65+ some of whom experience the condition for the first time later in life. Mortality rates from asthma in Australia are highest in the older population and statistics show that older people are most likely to be admitted to hospital following attendance at an Emergency Department for asthma. Older people lack aw ....The use of social marketing strategies and adult education principles to improve asthma self management in older people. Asthma is estimated to affect up to 10 per cent of people aged 65+ some of whom experience the condition for the first time later in life. Mortality rates from asthma in Australia are highest in the older population and statistics show that older people are most likely to be admitted to hospital following attendance at an Emergency Department for asthma. Older people lack awareness about asthma, often manage it poorly, and their health related quality of life is impacted by asthma. There is disparity in asthma information, management and service provision targeted specifically to the needs of the elderly. This project will provide much-needed evidence on the effectiveness of carefully researched and targeted programs for older asthmatics.Read moreRead less
Environmental quality and health in the elderly; The Australian situation and international comparison. The elderly are a vulnerable population group that should receive particular attention in health policy. They are a group of considerable and growing size that contributes disproportionately to total health burden. Although residential environment is likely to influence health and well-being among the elderly, the evidence-base for appropriate policy and practice is lacking. Improved understa ....Environmental quality and health in the elderly; The Australian situation and international comparison. The elderly are a vulnerable population group that should receive particular attention in health policy. They are a group of considerable and growing size that contributes disproportionately to total health burden. Although residential environment is likely to influence health and well-being among the elderly, the evidence-base for appropriate policy and practice is lacking. Improved understanding of the role of relevant environmental factors could lead to substantially reduced morbidity and mortality (and associated costs) for the key outcomes: falls, and cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Results will contribute to the international evidence-base in this increasingly critical area of research, policy, and practice. Read moreRead less