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Newsletter 13: October 2007UPCOMING EVENTSMonRAS 2nd Annual Research ConferenceInterdisciplinary Research into Ageing: Making it work for youWhen: Monday 19 November 2007, 9.30am-5.30pm This conference is open to both Monash University researchers and external (non-Monash University staff) with an interest in ageing research. Poster registration closes on 9th November 2007. Do you have an ageing related research poster you would like to display at the conference? Submit your abstract via the conference webpage. Registration for the conference closes on 12 November. For more programme information, registration and to submit a poster presentation please visit the conference webpage: http://www.monash.edu.au/research/ageing/conference2007.html NEWSInaugural Future Forum a great success
Attending the Monash University Ageing Research Future Forum earlier this month were (from left to right): Mr Peter Couchman, Mr Peter Matwijiw, Ms Julie Suker, Professor David Copolov, Professor Rosemary Calder, Dr June Hearn, Mr David Harrison, Dr Susan Feldman, Associate Professor Donna Cohen. Professor Ray Jarvis, Dr Anita Matusan, Professor Carol Morse, Mr Ian Silk. The Monash University Ageing Research Future Forum held earlier this month was hailed a great success. Independently facilitated by Peter Couchman, the Forum participants included Monash researchers from a range of disciplines, social policy analysts and corporate sector members involved with ageing client groups. This innovative approach to exploring research needs and opportunities represented the first stage of an ongoing process aimed at facilitating in-depth interdisciplinary exploration of ageing issues in our community and identifying areas to target new research. The theme of the first forum 'Ageing Australians: Can we afford to still call Australia home?' resulted in vigorous discussion on emerging issues as diverse as the changing preferences of the baby boomer population and the needs for flexible care systems for the very frail. A clear emphasis was the expectation that our ageing population will be living longer and being more active that previous generations. The need to develop processes of consultation between researchers, consumers and policy makers to ensure effective policy development was strongly emphasized. Peter Couchman said the forum proved to be an instructive and very productive exercise in the way it brought together researchers, practitioners and service providers across various disciplines to focus on an important social issue. MonRAS Evening Forum no. 4The issues of transport in an ageing Society: How do older people get around?
The fourth MonRAS Evening Forum on Ageing Research was held on Wednesday 10 October at the Monash University Staff Club. The topic for discussion was Issues of transport in an ageing society led by Professor Graham Currie, Chair of Public Transport,Institute of Transport Studies (Monash), Department of Civil Engineering. During his keynote presentation Professor Currie discussed current and future issues associated with transport disadvantage and ageing, focusing on public transport issues and urban settings. The presentation also contained observations about how future problems can be better addressed in current policy. Presentations from Dr Jenny Morris (Policy and Intergovernmental Relations Division, Department of Infrastructure) on the mobility needs that are arising in response to an ageing population, and how the Victorian government is tackling these through a number of programs and policies; Ms Anne Harris (Public Policy Department, RACV) discussing the transition of the elderly from drivers to non-drivers, collectively the speakers highlighted the need to address how older people get around without a car. The presentations are available by request monras@adm.monash.edu.au The Oral Health of Older Populations in AustraliaOn Friday 21 September 2007 Monash University Research for an Ageing Society (MonRAS), in collaboration with the Centre for Oral Health Science (CRC-OHS)/Oral Health Informatics of the University of Melbourne and the Victorian Department of Human Services, co-sponsored a one-day symposium on The Oral Health of Older Populations in Australia. Demographic data show that over the next two decades Australians will have the largest number of older adults in history. This demographic transition will have an effect on the patterns and presentations of illness, disease, and disabilities. This transition will reshape Australian society in many ways. Health care providers, the health industry and policy makers will need to urgently assess their own preparedness, research agendas and investment strategies to meet the demands of older adult health over the next decades. A key emphasis of government policy is on the promotion of good health and positive experiences with ageing in later life. Good oral health is integral to the health of older persons, their quality of life and positive perceptions of self. The symposium addressed four main questions: A team of expert speakers led by Professor Clive Wright, Chief Dental Officer from the Centre for Oral Health Strategy, NSW Health addressed the issues identified above with participants from around Australia. Necessary Connections: Linking the GenerationsMonRAS, the Healthy Ageing Research Unit and the ARC/NHMRC Research Network in Ageing Well were proud to present a special seminar by Associate Professor Leng Leng Thang on Monday 15th October at the Monash University Nottinghill Campus. A/Prof Thang is currently head of the Department of Japanese Studies at the National University of Singapore and is a socio-cultural anthropologist with research interests on intergenerational programming, intergenerational relationships, ageing and gender. Her presentation focussed on the area of intergenerational programs, and research, and how Australian society can explore, and expand, the potential of generational connection for a better society.CONTRACT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITYReview of Projects to Prevent Falls among Older People in Victoria (Request for Quote 179)Monash University has been invited to submit a tender to undertake the above evaluation of over 100 falls prevention initiatives undertaken in Victoria and to make recommendations on best practice and the possible influence of other funding and health promotion initiatives. If you have an interest in participating in preparation of a proposal and undertaking this contracted evaluative research please contact MonRAS as soon as possible via Julie Suker, 9902 0189 or julie.suker@adm.monash.edu.au The tender brief can be emailed to you immediately. Please note that the tender has to be submitted by 14 November 2007 and the project completed over a period of 20 weeks. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITYDementia Research and Quality ConsultantPart-time position. (40-50 hours per fortnight) We are seeking an enthusiastic clinical researcher to implement research and quality activities related to dementia services at Caulfield General Medical Centre, Bayside Health. The successful candidate will have extensive clinical research experience and qualifications, experience in project management, well developed interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrated ability to work autonomously and in a team environment. The Dementia Research and Quality Consultant will develop and implement research projects, consulting with clinical staff to develop a sustainable research program. The consultant will also provide support and mentoring of allied health, medical, nursing and other staff to develop and apply their research skills. The Stewart Bequest funds the position and the successful candidate will be expected to interact broadly with organizations and individuals involved in service provision and/or research for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Applications close: 9/11/2007 The position description can be found on http://bayside.etsolutions.com.au/career_details.html?id=5077 Please contact: Liz Rand Ph: 9076 6393 e.rand@cgmc.org.au or Liz Mullaly Ph: 9076 6008 e.mullaly@cgmc.org.au RECENT PUBLICATIONNo Way to Go: Transport and Social Disadvantage in Australian CommunitiesEdited by Graham Currie (Professor of Public Transport at Monash University's Institute of Transport Studies), Janet Stanley (Senior manager of research and policy, Brotherhood of St Laurence) and John Stanley (CEO, Bus Association of Victoria) Urban sprawl and sparse living are pervasive in Australia. Despite high levels of car ownership, many Australians do not have access to a private car for their travel needs. These people, often from marginalised groups in society such as young people, those on low incomes, older people, indigenous Australians and those with disabilities, face difficulties accessing services, facilities and activities. What are the personal and social costs of lack of access to transport on individual and community well-being? How, and to what extent, do poor transport options contribute to disadvantage? No Way to Go is an edited collection of papers that discuss the links between transport disadvantage and social exclusion in Australia. The book begins by exploring the global context for the Australian experience, with a series of papers from international contributors. In the second section, case studies based on recent empirical research examine the situation from the perspectives of different marginalised groups in Australian society. The book concludes by examining the implications for Australian social and transport policy. ISBN: 978-0-9803616-2-9 (paperback) Publication date: September 2007 FUNDING AND CONFERENCESThe Australian Psychological Society2007 Psychology & Ageing Interest Group Conference1-3 November 2007 Keynote speakers will be Professor Louis Burgio from the University of Alabama and Professor John Snowdon from the University of Sydney. More information at www.groups.psychology.org.au/GroupContent.aspx?ID=1192 6th National Conference of Emerging Researchers in AgeingDefining Future DirectionsTuesday, 20 November 2007 For further conference details and to submit an abstract, please visit www.ageingwell.edu.au/era2007 or contact (08) 8222 5215. Australian Association of Gerontology 40th National Conference'BeyOND 2007, Ageing: Evolution and Revolution'Hilton Adelaide, South Australia More details see the AAG website Australian Association of Gerontology Inc. (Victorian Division) and the National Ageing Research Institute: Inaugural Gary Andrews Travelling Fellowship Forum and Research RoundtableDr Karen Ritchie is the first Gary Andrews Travelling Fellow. She gained her MA in Psychology from the University of Tasmania and completed her PhD at the University of Montpellier, France, where she is now Research Director of a Unit of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), specialising in Nervous System Pathologies: Epidemiological and Clinical Research. Dr Ritchie will be participating in two events when she is in Melbourne in November: A Healthy Carers Forum and Research Roundtable. Healthy Carers: Mind, body and soul: A forum for service providers and planners, policy makers, researchers and carers.Presentations and discussion on:
Where: Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre, Cnr St Georges Rd and Bell St, Preston. Ample free parking is available. Research Roundtable: Promoting collaboration in priority research areasThe Research Roundtable will canvass the gains that can be achieved through research collaborations and how further collaboration can be advanced in Victoria, across Australia and internationally. The Roundtable will be chaired by Professor David Ames, Director of NARI. The aims of the Roundtable are to identify some priority areas where there are opportunities for collaboration for Victorian researchers and develop some proposals for taking collaboration forward. The program includes case studies of research collaborations presented by Dr Ritchie and local researchers, and a panel discussion of the benefits and pitfalls. Of special interest to researchers and graduate studentsWhere: St Georges Hospital, 283 Cotham Road, Kew Diversities of Ageing: Discourses and DebatesFirst International Sociological Association (ISA) Forum of Sociology "Sociological Research and Public Debate"Barcelona, Spain 5-8 September 2008 Call for papers / call for symposia. Deadline for receipt of abstracts is 16 November 2007. Details on programme information, academic sessions and general information can be found at the following website, which is regularly updated: http://www.isa-sociology.org/barcelona_2008/rc/rc11.htm CONTACT USThe MonRAS office is staffed every weekday from 9am to 5pm. Register with MonRASJoin the more than 150 Monash researchers who are registered with MonRAS. Simply complete the on-line form here. Publicising ageing research through the monthly MonRAS e-newsletterDid you know that the MonRAS e-newletter is distributed to over 400 recipients? |
