2022 Hal Kendig Research Development Program Recipients

AAG would like to congratulate the following individuals on their successful applications for the 2022 Hal Kendig Research Development Program Awards:

Dr Meredith Gresham

Affiliation: University of New South Wales

Project Title: Living with uncertainty: What information do people with mild cognitive impairment and families need and want after diagnosis?

Awarded: $19,777

Aims of the project:

Aim:

To understand what information, strategies and supports will improve the diagnostic and post-diagnostic experience of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their main supporters, as foundational research for a national dissemination project.

Objectives:

Through a triadic case study approach,

1. Explore what information about MCI is wanted and needed from the perspectives of people with MCI, their supporters, and health care professionals.
2. Understand appropriate and accessible formats for providing information, and
3. Probe the most appropriate ways in which information can be delivered for these three groups.

Meredith Gresham, PhD, is an Occupational Therapist with over 35 years clinical and research experience focusing on support of people with dementia and carers. She has expertise in re-ablement, the design of the physical environment and use of assistive technology to improve function and independence of older people. She developed a model of residential care for people with very severe behaviours in dementia, now being implemented nationally. Her PhD, conferred in 2019 was a clinical utility study of novel bidet technology that improved toileting care for aged care residents and staff. She currently works at UNSW Sydney, coordinating the international COGNISANCE project, that aims for global improvement in the communication of dementia diagnosis and post diagnostic support.

Dr Chiara Naseri

Affiliation: University of Western Australia

Project Title: What influences older people to join a community hub to engage in healthy ageing programs?

Awarded: $19,750

Aims of the project:

Research Question: What factors impact whether older people with diverse needs such as chronic diseases and social isolation initiate and sustain attendance at local community hubs healthy ageing programs?

The aims are to identify through a realist evaluation

• the barriers and enablers (Context -Mechanism -Outcomes) to engagement in community-hub based wellness programs from the perspective of older consumers, the community hub, and local community influences, including factors that would sustain their engagement

• use the Conjectured Context Mechanism Outcome (CCMO) framework to understand factors that could be introduced into the CONNECT 60+ wellness program from the perspective of older people, community-hub members, and community stakeholders including local government

Findings will assist to understand how healthy ageing at the individual and local community level can be developed and sustained to provide a wellness program with alignment to psychosocial dimensions of wellbeing and healthy ageing.

Dr Chiara Naseri is an Early Career Research Fellow at The University of Western Australia School of Allied Health, and WA Centre for Health and Ageing. She brings outstanding capability in ageing research, as an experienced physiotherapist and community service developer in older adults areas working both in clinical physiotherapy and research for over 20 years and recently completed a PhD (2020) focused on older adults recovery after hospital discharge at Curtin University. She has published 15 articles, 8 as first author and over 20 presentations regarding fall prevention and rehabilitation. She is an active AAG member and secretary of the WA AAG Committee.