Funding to improve mind, mobility

More than half a million dollars in research funding will go towards finding ways to improve the mind, mobility and lifestyles of older Australians.

The IRT Research Foundation 2012 funding pool is investing more than $600,000 into various research projects.

IRT chief executive, Nieves Murray, says the not for profit corporation has a mandate to reinvest a proportion of operating profits into “worthwhile” research projects.

“Each of these projects is likely to improve seniors’ quality of life through the research they are conducting, and it’s going to be pretty exciting to see the outcomes,” Ms Murray says.

The successful funding projects include:

The Dancing Mind

• This two year project builds on earlier work to see whether walking or ballroom dancing is better at maintaining brain function in older adults. Researchers will examine if complex physical activity such as social dancing is an ideal “exercise prescription” for the prevention of cognitive decline.
   

Implementation of design for dementia

• While a great deal of information is available to assist aged care providers to design facilities for people with dementia, this three year project will evaluate the introduction of a systematic way of using this information in the design process. It is anticipated that implementation of evidence based design principles will result in fewer behavioural problems and increased resident quality of life, with less stress and greater job satisfaction for staff.
   

Translating assistive robotic technology to aged care practice

• Intelligent machines using advanced Assistive Robotics (AR) technologies can improve health, function and wellbeing in ageing populations. In what has been described an Australian first, a multidisciplinary Sydney team from the University of Technology will work with IRT residents and carers to evaluate their AR prototype machines in a residential care setting in the 18 month long project.

Telehealth remote monitoring for people with multiple chronic conditions

• The two year project is an investigation into the effectiveness of telehealth monitoring for people with multiple chronic illnesses. Using technology to measure daily vital signs, patients will be reviewed remotely by a nurse. Aiming to promote early intervention to detect changes before a patient may require hospitalisation, the researchers also hope to empower older individuals to actively manage their chronic illnesses.