Aged Care Evaluation and Research (ACER) projects and initiatives

How is COVID-19 impacting your wellbeing and healthcare access?

Dr Joyce Siette is currently exploring the impact of COVID19 restrictions on older adults' quality of life. The survey aims to provide us with an understanding of the challenges seniors are facing as a result of the pandemic and the level of healthcare assistance available to help them now.

If you are aged over 55 years of age you can have your say here: www.bit.ly/COV19Seniors

Enter before 21st September for your chance to win an iPad (valued at $599).

My Community Project: Use it or Lose It? Maximising your brain health

Our ACER team member Dr Joyce Siette has submitted a My Community Project idea to the community and is now waiting for your vote! This project aims to provide a safe community space for older adults to have their memory assessed for free by health professionals, as well as receive ideas on how to maximise their brain health for as long as possible.

For further information on the project please go to the NSW Government website: https://mycommunityproject.service.nsw.gov.au/

If you live in the following suburbs, please vote for this worthwhile idea:

• Gladesville
• Putney
• Lane Cove
• Hunters Hill
• Woolwich
• Greenwich
• East Ryde
• Artarmon
• Longueville
• Linley Point
• Riverview

Voting opens on 15 July 2019 and closes on 15 August 2019.

A detailed set of instructions have been provided on how to vote.

If you would like to discuss this further please contact Dr Joyce Siette at joyce.siette@mq.edu.au or on (02) 9850 2456.

Ageing Well Stakeholder Forum 2

The ACER team recently held a final stakeholder forum which marked the culmination of a successful Ageing Well project with the aged care provider, Uniting. Those in attendance included community aged care clients and staff, senior management from Uniting, health consumers, representatives from the Department of Health and the ACER researchers. The forum reflected on the findings of the Ageing Well project and focused on looking forward in improving social participation and wellbeing in the aged care sector. The forum welcomed diverse opinions and perspectives on integrated care and highlighted the reality and importance of consumer choice regarding aged care services. Amid the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, these meaningful insights and passionate stories from all aged care contributors at the forum offered a sense of hope, demonstrating the importance of evidence-based action in research and evaluation delivering a promising pathway to effective and quality care for elderly Australians.

Ageing Well Stakeholder Forum 2018

The ACER team recently held a stakeholder forum as part of the Ageing Well project in November 2018. The first of two forums planned for this project, this session involved community aged care clients and staff, senior management from Uniting, and representatives from the Uniting LGBTI department, Health Consumers NSW, Department of Health, and members of the ACER team. This forum provided a unique opportunity for different stakeholders to come together that had contributed to, influenced by, or would be affected by the Ageing Well project. A brief overview of the Ageing Well project was provided, but the main focus was on the discussions between all stakeholders on relevant topics related to social engagement and community aged care services. Evidence-based, action-oriented and effective, this exciting initiative brings forth multiple voices in aged care to offer a promising way forward for research and evaluation. See our brief video and photos which provides the day’s highlights, showing how well consumers and researchers can work together on important healthcare topics.

Evaluating the impact of aged care policy reforms

Dr Mikaela Jorgensen from the ACER team has released an issues brief examining the impact of recent home care reforms on older Australians, the aged care workforce, and the wider health system.

Dr Jorgensen’s work was supported by the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA), and Brisbane North and North Western Melbourne Primary Health Networks, through a Jeff Cheverton Memorial Scholarship at the Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research.

The issues brief has received significant national interest, including with peak aged care bodies, senior policy advisers and parliamentarians.