Thursday Three - 17 APRIL 2025 

  • Better care for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • Reflections: Vic Mini-Conference Ballarat
  • 2024-25 Helen Barrie National Prize awardees


 “I am extremely grateful to have been an awardee of the 2022 RM Gibson Grant and the leverage it provided to me as an early career researcher.”

- Dr Ruth Brookman, RM Gibson awardee, 2022

Join Ruth and other successful early career researchers and practitioners who have secured a $10,000 grant through the AAG Research Trust RM Gibson Program.

To find out more, including a copy of the program guidelines, Research Trust FAQs and to view a .PDF copy of the application questions, go to the RM Gibson webpages. Applications only accepted via the online form until 5:00pm Monday, 26 May 2025.

CLOSING TODAY!
Submit your abstract to #AAGConf25
in Mparntwe, Alice Springs!

Better care for older Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people

The Australian Government has released the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Framework. The Framework sets out actions to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ experience throughout each stage of the aged care journey.

These actions will aim to:

  • increase the number of Aboriginal community-controlled aged care providers
  • grow the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in aged care
  • support all aged care providers to deliver culturally safe services.

Developed in partnership with the Department of Health and Aged Care’s First Nations Aged Care Governance Group, the Framework delivers and expands on recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Find out more on the Health website.

Reflections: Vic Mini-Conference Ballarat

The AAG Victorian Division ran its sold-out, inaugural mini-conference in Ballarat on 28 March 2025. The event was attended by approximately 60 people working in health, social services and universities from across Victoria and Australia.

Under the theme ‘Ageing-well in the Regions,’ the day showcased fifteen presentations on research and practice in Regional Victoria, including current work by academics, schools programs, and the strategic directions of local councils to adopt and action the WHO Age-friendly Cities Framework within their regions.

AAG members from a variety of settings provided inspiring and informative presentations, including Dr Rachel Winterton, who presented initial work from a project on rural friendly, climate resilient communities. La Trobe University’s John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research, an AAG Collaborating Research Centre, was also well-represented with a presentation by Dr Kathleen Brasher on a State Trustees funded project looking at community approaches to age-friendly health care, followed by Dr Shahinoor Akter, who discussed the Centre's work on dementia and respite care in rural settings.

AAG Victorian Division offers its sincere gratitude to the City of Ballarat for hosting the event in the beautiful Trench Room at Ballarat Town Hall (pictured below). The food was delicious and plentiful, allowing attendees opportunities to network and connect throughout the day. Following the event, some of the crowd headed to a local restaurant for a meal and continued conversations after an impactful and energising program.

2024-25 Helen Barrie National Prize awardees

AAG is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024-25 Helen Barrie National Prize, recognising outstanding contributions to ageing research and practice.

The prestigious award, administered by the AAG Student and Early Career Group (SECG), saw record-breaking participation this year with four times the number of applications received than in previous years. This exceptional response reflects the SECG's successful community-building efforts and increased visibility, demonstrating the growing interest in gerontological research among students and early career researchers.

We are delighted to recognise these outstanding researchers, whose work contributes significantly to our understanding of ageing to improve the lives of older people:

Winner: Dr Amanda Cross, Monash University
Amanda has been awarded the top prize for her groundbreaking research: "Prevalence of strong anticholinergic use in residents with and without cognitive impairment and frailty: Analysis from 106 nursing homes in 12 Asia-Pacific and European countries." Amanda’s work provides valuable insights into medication management for older adults across multiple international settings.

Runner up: Dr Dianna Vidas, University of Queensland
Dianna received the runner-up award for her innovative study: "Family Caregiver Experiences of Using a Mobile App for Music-based Training to Support Dementia Care." Dianna’s research explores technology-assisted interventions that support both caregivers and older adults with dementia.

Inaugural AAG SECG Helen Barrie National Special Prize for research on intergenerational practices: Ms Nehchal Kaur Narula, Deakin University
Sponsored by the Australian Institute for Intergenerational Practice (AIIP), this award is presented to Nehchal for the project: "Role of governance in place making in intergenerational living and learning campuses for seniors and teenagers."

Pictured: L-R Dr Amanda Cross, Dr Dianna Vidas and Ms Nehchal Kaur Narula

The Helen Barrie National Prize honours Dr. Helen Barrie (pictured below), a Senior Research Fellow at the University of South Australia and Director of The Australian Alliance of Social Enterprise. As a social gerontologist and geographer, Dr. Barrie has dedicated her career to studying Australia's changing and ageing population and the implications for society and communities. A passionate AAG member since 2006, she was instrumental in developing the student section of the organization, served as both State and National President, and awarded life membership in 2017.