Welcome to the first 2021 edition of the AMI Newsletter. It is already shaping up to be an exciting year with the United Nations General Page Assembly (UNGA) announcing that 2021-2030 is to be the Decade of Healthy Ageing. This is an exciting time for ageing related research as FEATURE STORIES the importance of the ageing population and the impact on all Decade of Healthy Ageing 2 aspects of society including health, social, economic and Art and Dementia 3 environmental is more widely recognised and acknowledged. The University of Queensland is well positioned as the Age Friendly RESEARCH UPDATES University (AFU) initiative continues to take shape. The AFU Steering Connecting people and places 4 Committee is currently being formed; as reference group Driver Identity 5 of academic and professional staff across Faculties, Schools and Community mobility and driving. 6 Institutes at UQ, external stakeholders, and current students and alumni are ready to translate our vision into reality. CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS We have 17 ageing related research projects currently seeking Help us create RITA 7 participants! This is a tremendous leap from 2020 where due to What do you think of telehealth. 8 COVID-19, we advertised as few as 6 research projects in the May Psychotherapy via telehealth 9 edition. We are so pleased to see many temporarily postponed Experiences at work 11 projects back up and running and look forward to hearing more Vibrant Trial 12 research updates as data is analysed and results are published. Transport and Dementia 13 Living longer, working well 14 We hope you enjoy reading the Feb 2021 AMI Newsletter. Have a How music and speech are wonderful start to the year. processed in the brain 15 How people interact with their surroundings 16 The QLD Mind Project 17 The PEAK Study 18 CarFreeMe Project 19 Sterling’s Dream Study 20 Care for people with dementia or memory loss 21 ISSUE QUOTE: Motor Imagery Training 23 Social cognition & theory of mind 24 Old Age and Treachery Will Overcome Youth Experiences with hearing and Skill ~ Greek Proverb difficulties and their families 25 February 2021 Feature Article 2021-2030 is the Decade of Healthy Ageing We are excited to hear the announcement by the The UN Resolution follows recent endorsement of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that the Decade by the World Health Assembly, which 2021-2030 is declared to be the Decade of Healthy expresses concern that, despite the predictability Ageing. This declaration not only seeks to highlight of population ageing and its accelerating pace, the the importance of both physical and mental health world is not sufficiently prepared to respond to as we grow older, but also the important the rights and needs of older people. It contributions older persons make to society. acknowledges that the ageing of the population Healthy ageing is about creating the environments impacts our health systems but also many other and opportunities that enable people to be and do aspects of society, including labour and financial what they value throughout their lives. markets and the demand for goods and services, such as education, housing, long-term care, social This declaration could not have come at a more protection and information. It thus requires a appropriate time. The unprecedented events of whole-of-society approach. the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the pervasiveness of ageism and its deadly impact on You can read more about this exciting older persons across the world. This is a critical development in the Decade of Healthy Ageing time to protect the human rights of older persons Baseline Report and have their voices heard for them to enjoy their autonomy and freedom. Healthy ageing includes more than physical health. Mental health, social connectedness and the opportunity to contribute to society are all important factors. It is central to our experience of older age and the opportunities that ageing brings. Initiatives undertaken as part of the Decade will seek to: • change how we think, feel and act towards age and ageing • facilitate the ability of older people to participate in and contribute to their communities and society • deliver integrated care and primary health services that are responsive to the needs of the individual • provide access to long-term care for older people who need it. www.ami.group.uq.edu.au 2 February 2021 Feature Article Art and Dementia: A non-pharmacological intervention approach The University of Queensland’s Health and The Art and Dementia Program at QAGOMA has Behavioural Sciences Webinar Series continues. been running for 6 years and is a free, Recently, Professor Nancy Pachana from the UQ participant-focused experience for members of School of Psychology was joined by Debbie the community with dementia who are living at Brittain from the Queensland Art Gallery and home, attending day respite or residing in aged Gallery of Modern Art to discuss their care. The program is structured around the key partnership pursuing research into dementia and principles of reminiscence, validation and the power of art. This was the first part of a socialization. Viewing art and participating in series showcasing how UQ as a leading age- guided creative activities within a dementia- friendly university. accessible format allows persons living with dementia and their care partners to share an Dementia is the second lauding cause of death experience that makes them feel included and for Australians and the literature tells us that socially connected. early intervention is essential in supporting people with dementia to remain active in the This half-hour webinar is available to listen to in community, and that having new experiences full via the following link: Art and Dementia: A may play a role in stimulating cognitive function. non-pharmacological intervention approach – YouTube The Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) and The University of About 2020 HaBS Alumni Webinar Series Queensland's School of Psychology, in The HaBS Alumni Webinar series is an initiative partnership with the Internal Medicine & to broadcast fascinating insights from within the Dementia Research Unit at The Prince Charles Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Hospital, are pursuing research on the benefits featuring leading researchers within the faculty. of QAGoMA's programs targeting older To catch-up on earlier recordings from the first community-dwelling older people and round of the series, please visit the HaBS Alumni particularly people living with dementia and Webinar series page. their care partners. www.ami.group.uq.edu.au 3 February 2021 RESEARCH UPDATE: Connecting people and places using technology This study was completed by a team at the Gerontologist (2020): 1-12. University of Queensland and the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. There were three parts to Please contact the authors if you would like a copy the study: of the article: [email protected] 1. Interviews about experiences of connection using technology The second and third stage indicated the 2. Workshops discussing technology experiences, importance of involving older people, technology problems and aims for the future developers and researchers in working together to 3. An online event (called Collab) to design develop future technologies. A range of activities technology ideas that would improve were undertaken – with some of these documented connection for older people. on this website: https://coinnovation- mayfair.uqcloud.net/collab/index.html The first stage involved interviews with 10 adults with rich experiences of connection using The areas that older people wanted people to work technology. They described that connecting to on to improve technologies for connection: people and places using technology gave a range of 1. Support for using difficult websites and feelings of connection. Generally connections via technologies (like mygov, my aged care) technology were not at the same calibre of in 2. Developing ways of measuring and person connection, but participants identified that communicating good connection via it could be very important when these experiences technology were not accessible or when people you wanted to 3. Technology to organise the revolution! connect to (including family) used technology. Some (Technology for creating change/ social good/ rich connection experiences included those easy to organising) use technologies that allowed brief and fun 4. Sharing skills to manage technology threats messages to be frequently sent. Experiences of and improve technology experiences poor connection experiences included those that 5. Connecting to other generations left people feeling isolated or unable to take part. 6. A simple template or launcher to make Participants also described a range of reasons to websites and apps consistent use technology to connect – including connecting 7. Getting the basics right (making sure with important others who weren’t geographically technology has good quality sound, visuals, close, connecting with activities and groups that organisation) were important to their identity and life history; and 8. Second class citizens – improving the connecting to other places in the world. experience of attending things on line – so Importantly, participants described active strategies people don’t feel left out or excluded. they used to reduce the perceived harms of technologies and enhancing feelings of connection. Although this research happened prior to the pandemic – clearly some of these ideas