Research - Ageing and Disability Ageing and Palliative Care

The School is already the national reference point for research in ageing, dementia and intellectual disability, and has an international reputation in this area.
There has been long standing collaboration with the MIRA (Mercer's Institute for Research on Ageing) involving ageing and dementia related issues in persons with Down syndrome. More recently there has been involvement in the development of joint dementia-related research possibilities with others associated with the MIRA, and a group of 6 staff have been involved in the development of questions for the TILDA project. These efforts are expected to continue and expand.

Vision

In furtherance of the health and social well being of all persons with disabilities and their families across the life span, to enhance the national and international reputation of the School of Nursing and Midwifery as a leading centre of excellence in education and interdisciplinary research in the area of disability.

The vision is operationalized in the following aim and objectives for the group:

Aim

To develop an evidence base to guide policy, care and service delivery for persons with disabilities across the life span.

Specific Objectives

• To engage with and involve consumers/families in the identification of research priority areas ensuring that research reflects their needs and interests.
• To forge alliances and work collaboratively with service providers, health authorities.
• To further develop and work collaboratively with National and International groups in the identification of priority research areas.
• To respond to the recommendations of key strategic reports and requests from health services providers and consumers for needed research.
• Develop an evidence base to guide policy and service delivery for persons with disabilities across the life span (and or care delivery).
• To make a focused and significant contribution through the development of national and international symposium on key research themes and priority areas.
• To define research projects for potential postgraduate students.
• Develop the research potential of disability research members.
Research undertaken by the Disability Research Group begins from an established research agenda in intellectual disability and dementia and has received external national and international funding and builds on a base that addresses both critical nursing concerns and positions nursing research to contribute to the building of interdisciplinary practice.

Key Themes

Our research is focused on a number of key themes.

1. Ageing and Intellectual Disabilities

This theme is concerned with the ageing demographics of persons with intellectual disability and the association of dementia with increasing age particularly in persons with Down syndrome. Advancing an evidence base to support dementia assessment, day-to-day programming, end of life care and macro and micro level service redesign are areas currently under investigation.

2. Autism

This theme is concerned with intervention research and care approaches with various spectrum autistic disorders.

3. Palliative Care

This theme aims to expand the boundaries of palliative care and develop an evidence base to support the utility of this approach in addressing the needs of persons with advanced dementia and other terminal illness.

The Research Group

Projects and Grant Income

Publications - Referred Journal Articles

Publications - Chapters in Books

Publications - Other Publications

Registered Research Students (with this research group)

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