Expert Panel Recommendations for the prevention of deaths among nursing home residents with unexplained absences

RESEARCH PROFILE

Dr Marta Woolford

Expert Panel Recommendations for the prevention of deaths among nursing home residents with unexplained absences

Dr Marta Woolford is a researcher in the Health and Social Care Unit with an interest in enabling older people in residential aged care (RAC) to live well and with as much independence and choice as possible. Her research focuses on Dignity of Risk and supporting older people to live purposeful and meaningful lives. Dr Woolford’s research also includes preventing premature and preventable deaths in RAC.

This recommendations study was, in 2020, awarded the Journal of Older People Nursing Award for Outstanding Scholarly Contribution to Gerontological Nursing Practice. These were the first recommendations for the prevention of deaths among RAC residents incorporating principles of Dignity of Risk and injury prevention, utilising the Haddon Matrix framework. Previous research limited their enquiry into interventions that restrict the freedom of movement of older people. The recommendations were submitted to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and formed a book chapter for the prevention of deaths of RAC residents in Australia.

For more information: marta.woolford1@monash.edu