A digital coach is prompting Australian iPad users to engage in balance exercises through a new app. Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) is trialling the app Standing Tall, which offers individually tailored progressive balance exercises to help prevent falls. Dr Kim ...
More »Clinical Focus
Trial aims to integrate mental, clinical care
The separation of mental and clinical healthcare funding is a barrier to improving wellbeing, a senior research fellow has said. To overcome this, RDNS, along with Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria, is trialling a wellness and re-enablement model of integrated physical, social and ...
More »Older muscles have specific nutrition needs
As the body ages, it becomes much less efficient at restoring tissue; maintaining body weight whilst exercising requires a diet that compensates. The words ‘first, do no harm’ do not appear as such in the Hippocratic Oath, as many people ...
More »Quality of life vs. safety: study highlights risks
A study into injury-related or premature deaths of aged-care residents has found that 80 per cent were from falls. Choking, at 7 per cent, was another common cause. The research also found that 1.3 per cent were suicides, 0.6 ...
More »Their own two feet: engaging patients in fall prevention
A trial of individualised education that engages older patients in falls prevention has shown falls and resulting injuries reduced by 40 per cent. The study involved more than 3500 people across eight Western Australian aged-care rehabilitation units. It encouraged patients to develop strategies ...
More »Aged-care acute illness project earns funding
A project aiming to improve the care of nursing home residents who develop acute illnesses has received $1.15 million from the Department of Social Services. The project is called CEDRiC (Care Co-ordination through Emergency Department, Residential Aged Care and Primary ...
More »Palliative care is everyone’s concern
A focus on palliative care across residents, family and aged-care organisations is fast becoming a necessity. By Kevin Rocks For many people, discussing the possibility of placing a family member in aged care can be difficult and even distressing. And ...
More »Patient consultations on new tech must improve
Research shows governments must make it easier for patient organisations to provide effective consultation on new devices and systems. By Amie Larter and Dallas Bastian Shortfalls in the consultation between patient advocates and government on healthcare tech funding must be ...
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