Road ahead in dementia research
La Trobe University researcher, Professor Carolyn Unsworth, is hoping her efforts steer those affected by early-stage dementia in the right direction. She is one of two Victorian researchers who were recently awarded a collective total of $79,000 under the inaugural Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation – Victorian Grants scheme.
La Trobe University researcher, Professor Carolyn Unsworth, is hoping her efforts steer those affected by early-stage dementia in the right direction.
She is one of two Victorian researchers who were recently awarded a collective total of $79,000 under the inaugural Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation – Victorian Grants scheme.
Professor Carolyn Unsworth and her colleagues received $39,000 towards driving test performance of 40 people recently diagnosed with dementia.
The research’s recommendations will ultimately be sent to VicRoads to improve future testing guidelines.
“This grant allows us to investigate several issues surrounding driving assessments for people who have been recently diagnosed with dementia,” Professor Unsworth tells DPS News.
She adds researchers will look at the different options surrounding a driving assessment, such as the driver being tested in their local area or undertaking the test a second time.
Working in the area of driver assessment for about a decade, Professor Unsworth believes just because a person is diagnosed with a “dementing” disease, does not mean they “automatically can’t drive”.
“In the early phases of dementia, people may be able to continue to drive provided they have regular assessments and determine the point of when it is no longer safe to drive.”
She adds research studies like this are important as the population ages.
“Medical advances enable people to live longer and we want to support that. We think driving is very important to older people and maintaining that driving skill for as long as possible is essential.”
The Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation – Victoria Grants 2012 scheme is offering two $50,000 grants with applications closing Tuesday, 17 April 2012.
