SNAVI Project (Spatial Navigation Assessment Validation and Implementation)

Current clinical tests for Alzheimer’s disease are not sensitive enough to detect brain changes that begin 10-20 years before memory symptoms appear. Our project team has developed novel neuropsychological tests of spatial navigation (how we navigate our surroundings) that are highly sensitive to these early brain changes. This project will optimise these spatial navigation tests for rollout in clinical services, enabling timely, accurate diagnosis that will fast-track access to early interventions and improve outcomes for those affected.

The project team is led by Dr Stephanie Wong, and includes researchers across Adelaide (Flinders University, UniSA, University of Adelaide), Newcastle (University of Newcastle), Gold Coast (Bond University) and Norwich, UK (University of East Anglia). Partner Organisations include the Central, Southern and Northern Adelaide Local Health Networks and the Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT).

Supported by the Medical Research Future Fund, Dementia Ageing and Aged Care Mission.

Engagement, Lifestyle and Meaning Study (ELMS)

Project partners: City of Onkaparinga, ECH Inc, South Australian Office for Ageing Well

Ongoing engagement in meaningful activity is widely recognised as a crucial aspect of ageing well. The ELMS is concerned with increasing our understanding of how older adults can effectively maintain engagement with life in the face of changes that occur with age. Specifically, this project aims to (a) develop a better understanding of the factors that enable and inhibit late life engagement, and (b) develop and evaluate a person-centred intervention that can effectively promote activity engagement. The Chief Investigators on this project are Tim Windsor, Emeritus Professor Mary Luszcz, Associate Professor Ruth Walker (Flinders University), Dr Trevor Mazzucchelli (Curtin University), and Associate Professor Robert Stawski (Oregon State University). Partner Organisation for the ELMS include Onkaparinga City, ECH Inc, and the Office for Ageing Well.

Supported by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant

Inclusive Care for Older Trauma Survivors (ICOTS)

Project partner: Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Hospital wards have a highly biomedical focus with limited opportunities for choice and control, and can therefore be distressing for older survivors of psychological trauma. Challenging behaviour resulting from distress is dangerous and disruptive for the person, staff, and other patients. Trauma-informed care is a framework that is widely applied across mental health systems and well-established to promote staff and resident safety, reduce the risk of re-traumatisation, minimise adverse events, and reduce costs. Working together with the Division of Rehabilitation, Aged and Palliative Care within the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, this hybrid implementation-effectiveness study will assess the effectiveness and implementation of a trauma-informed organisational intervention for reducing patient distress, preventing challenging behaviour, and limiting use of restraint in geriatric hospital wards.

Supported by the South Australian Hospital Research Foundation and the Medical Research Future Fund

The Wisdom Club

Project partners: City of Onkaparinga, South Australian Department for Education

Meaningful social connections are central to mental health and wellbeing and can be supported through volunteer activities that bring together people of different ages. The Wisdom Club is concerned with co-designing and piloting a new intergenerational project to create opportunities for purposeful engagement for older adults, enhance outcomes for disadvantaged children in the priority area of reading, and strengthen communities. The project involves training older volunteers to work with younger primary school children in school communities to support their developing literacy skills. The project includes Chief Investigators from the education discipline at Flinders (Jane Jarvis and Karyn Carson) in addition to Tim Windsor and Monica Cations, and Associate Investigators George Rebok and Lui Di Venuto.

Supported by the Breakthrough Foundation and the Flinders University Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing 

Financial capability in ageing and dementia

Being able to handle money and manage your own personal finances is important for living independently. As we get older, changes in cognition may make it more difficult to manage everyday financial tasks, such as remembering to pay bills, budgeting and avoiding financial scams. These cognitive changes and difficulties with everyday financial tasks are usually normal. But in some cases, they can be an early sign of cognitive impairment or dementia. Led by Dr Stephanie Wong, this project aims to improve the way we identify and assess changes in financial capability in older adults and people with dementia, so that the appropriate supports can be put in place.

Supported by the Dementia Australia Research Foundation and Ecstra Foundation.

PD-GOAL Program: Parkinson's disease Getting Out and Active Living

Project partner: The Hospital Research Foundation, Parkinson's Division

While Parkinson’s disease is primarily characterised by motor symptoms, approximately 40% of patients also present with depression and apathy. Current treatment options for these symptoms have shown limited efficacy and accessibility. The PD-GOAL study aims to adapt, co-design and pilot a telehealth Behavioural Activation therapy program, which will target symptoms of depression and apathy by increasing engagement in positively reinforcing and meaningful activities. The Chief Investigators on this project are Dr Stephanie Wong, Dr Monica Cations and Prof Tim Windsor, with Associate Investigators Dr Trevor Mazzucchelli (Curtin University), Dr Julia Scott (Flinders University) and Olivia Nassaris (THRF Parkinson’s).

Supported by the Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation.

Registry of Senior Australians

Project lead: South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute

The Registry of Senior Australians monitors the health, service utilisation, medication use, mortality, and other outcomes of people receiving aged care services in Australia. ROSA’s efficient model leverages existing information, bringing together diverse datasets collected by different organisations throughout the country, to provide us with a whole picture of the ageing pathway. ROSA will produce evidence to guide decision-making for quality, coordinated, efficient, innovative and age-friendly services and practices. Members of the Generations Initiative conduct projects to understand the use and potential benefits of mental health services by older aged care users in Australia.