Monash Peninsula Research Forum 

Winter Research Forum -- Healthy Ageing, Successful Living

The second Research Forum for 2006 was held on 18 July at the Morningstar Estate Winery, Mt Eliza. 

Professor Carol Morse and Professor John McNeil at the forum.

The Forum focussed on Health Ageing and brought together academics from Monash's Berwick, Clayton, Gippsland and Peninsula campus with representation from the Faculties of Business and Economics, Information Technology, and Medicine, Nursing and Health Science.

Representatives from community organisations included Casey Council, Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnerships, Mornington Peninsula Shire Elder Citizens Advisory Committee and Peninsula Health.

The Forum considered and addressed challenges and opportunities in developing a vibrant research collaboration between the university and communities that targets issues of relevance to older populations in order for Health Ageing and Successful Living  to become a reality. 

KeyNote Addresses were from Adjunct Professor Rosemary Calder, Director of the Monash Research for an Ageing Society Group [MonRAS] and Professor John McNeil, Director of ASPREE Project [Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly].

Professor Calder explained the development of MonRAS and the University’s commitment to ageing research capacity building.  She identified several key themes that included the unique characteristics of the Mornington Peninsula older populations;  housing challenges; and services needs, all of which impact health and wellbeing of individuals. >more

Professor John McNeil described the ASPREE Project, presently a Victoria-wide project in the planning stages that will carry out a randomised controlled trial of daily aspirin compared with placebo given to community-dwelling men and women aged over 70 years.  Opportunities clearly exist for Peninsula and South East Victorian based researchers to connect with this parent project in add-on studies on specific issues with particular populations. >more

A Discussion Panel of Community Members from Casey Council, Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnerships, Mornington Peninsula Shire Elderly Citizens Advisory Committee and Frankston Community Health presented key issues from their areas of operation that both informed the forum and presented challenges for future research initiatives.

Three members of academic staff presented brief overviews of ageing research from the perspectives of Berwick, Gippsland and Peninsula campuses and their catchment areas that seek to reflect the key themes allocated to each.  These are:  Building Communities at Berwick; “Regionality in a global context” at Gippsland;  and “Understanding Successful Living” at Peninsula. 

An introduction to 'Assistive Technologies' and their applications was presented by A/Professor Jan Newmarch, Faculty of Information Technology, indicating an emerging area of research and application that intrigued the forum members.

The Forum members then engaged in a discussion on ways forward.  Key issues highlighted included:

Need for local information and support regarding:

• Depression, – unmet needs in older people and communities
• Isolation and family dislocations
• Suicide
• GPs, other health service providers, etc

Local transport

• Maintaining independence
• Accessibility

Habitation – models of housing and their impacts on quality of life

• Individuals
• Broader community

Assistive technologies and quality of life

Ageing-related issues – General

• Mental health policy driven funding – evidence bases, critical analyses and evaluations are required

• Ongoing education and training needs and opportunities for workers with older people

• Socio-economic impact of ageing communities

•  What does an age-friendly community look like as a peak framework for:
  > Research focus
  > Community dialogue

• How do older people view quality of life

• Negative aspects of ageism – across the lifespan

• Ageing well in terms of independence and personal control

Future directions for research

1. The overarching theme for Monash ageing research on the Mornington Peninsula is identified as:
   
   “Understanding and developing age friendly communities”
    
2. The points of contact between Monash University and the Mornington Peninsula community to be further developed through:
   
   > Primary Care Partnerships
   > Mornington Peninsula Elderly Citizens Advisory Committee
   > an action plan for collaboration for 2007 to be developed in mid-September
    
3. The energies and roles of local volunteers to be engaged in collaborative research
    
4. Develop follow-up meeting between Monash researchers and community stakeholders to further development of research collaboration – mid September 2006.

Professor Carol Morse
Director, Health and Wellbeing Research