IHMRI affiliation
Theme:Mental health and the ageing brain
Level:IHMRI Senior Fellow
Research focus
- Nutritional interventions and ageing
- Protein and genetic markers in Alzheimer’s disease
- Functional health
- Quality of care in clinical scenarios
Previous research projects
Release Study (2012 – )
De-prescribing is a new affordable health care model for creating systemic change in the prescribing of medications for vulnerable older people in aged care homes. The strategic vision is to demonstrate that decreasing the medication burden for frail older people (‘de-prescribing’) is a promising health care innovation that could contribute towards a systemic improvement in the provision of affordable and high quality health care. It has a potential win-win-win benefit in improving the wellbeing for some of the most vulnerable older members of society, decreasing the national medication bill and reducing the time spent by a registered nurse ii:i supervising administration of medication.
BIS Study (2012 – 2015)
The aims of this study were to use the Bispectral Index (BIS) Monitor to assess whether there is any correlation between:
- Clinical markers of distress as recorded by nurses and BIS scores
- Family perception of patient comfort and awareness and BIS scores
- Sensory stimulation with sound or touch and BIS scores
- Impending death and BIS scores.
Flagship Healthy Population Study (2013 – 2017)
This project linked senior researchers in medicine, public health/epidemiology, nutrition and dietetics, exercise science, and psychology in a population study and randomised control trial for weight management. Specifically, the study aimed to determine a model of preventative care in association with hospital and medical practitioners to support management of overweight residents in the Illawarra Shoalhaven region. This will be achieved by engaging a representative population sample of residents aged 25-55, some of which will be placed in a randomised trial supported by nutrition, exercise and behavioural advice and monitored for biophysical markers and body weight over 2 years.
Publications and funding
Other roles
- Clinical Academic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong