HCF Research Foundation funding for healthy ageing

Supporting independent living

Grant program: Enabling functional independence at home – training support workers to deliver a fall prevention program to frail, older adults (University of Western Australia)

Functional independence at home is an important part of overall wellbeing and quality of life for older adults. It helps them to:

engage in activities they enjoy
maintain social connections
preserve their overall sense of purpose and self-worth.

However, one significant concern is the risk of falls, which can lead to serious injury, reduced mobility and loss of independence.

"We’ve worked with older adults and staff in a range of healthcare settings and found that preventing falls is not always well understood," says Dr Jacqueline Francis-Coad from the University of Western Australia. This grant will help facilitate the training of support workers to deliver fall prevention programs in the home, for example during usual home care visits, to help older adults to remain functionally independent.

Pain management

Grant program: HeLP (a Healthy Lifestyle program for Pain) for older people with musculoskeletal conditions and comorbid chronic disease risks (Hunter New England Local Health District and University of Newcastle)

The Healthy Lifestyle program for Pain (HeLP) is a multi-focused initiative targeting weight, physical activity, diet and smoking, shown in recent research to be effective in reducing disability for people living with chronic lower back pain.

"Based on this we have expanded the study to include other musculoskeletal conditions including hip and knee pain, as lifestyle factors are also important in their management," explains Simon Davidson from the Hunter New England Local Health District. "We’ve also expanded the study to focus on older people, as these sorts of conditions tend to become more common with age."

The grant will help researchers make the program more accessible via telehealth, particularly to those who live in rural and regional areas, and to identify the most efficient training method for busy healthcare professionals.

Health and wellbeing at home in regional areas

Grant program: Ageing Well@Home program for rural Australians focusing on simultaneously
improving the physical, cognitive and social wellbeing of older people who are motivated to remain living at home (Charles Sturt University)

Research shows that physical activity, cognitive ability, social connection and a sense of purpose are important ways to help maintain wellbeing for older people.

Ageing Well@Home, led by grant recipient Dr Kristy Robson of Charles Sturt University, brings these aspects together in a comprehensive program designed to help older adults age independently without relying on aged care services before they need to – particularly in rural and regional communities.

"It’s a community-based program that’s quite unique because most focus on one aspect of ageing, whether it’s an exercise program, a memory class or falls prevention class. Our program is simultaneously targeting multiple aspects of ageing," Dr Robson explained.

In its pilot phase, participants were able to build cognitive and physical capabilities in a socially engaging program over 10 weeks, with sustained benefits reported 12 months later. This grant will help expand Ageing Well@Home to three new trial areas to learn whether positive results can be applied in different situations, Dr Robson said.

Falls prevention

Grant program: StandingTall eHealth balance exercise to foster mobility and prevent falls in older people receiving home care (Neuroscience Research Australia/University of NSW)

One in three adults over 65 experiences a fall each year, rising to one in two in the over 85 age group. This can impact their independence, daily activities and social connection within the community.

Home-based ehealth program, StandingTall, is aimed at people aged over 60 who'd like to improve their balance and reduce their fall risk. It recommends two hours of balance exercises a week for at least six months and can be done independently at home. Research found that people aged over 70 who took part in the StandingTall program lowered their chance of injury from a fall by 20% over a two-year period.

Dr Kimberley van Schooten from Neuroscience Research Australia and the University of New South Wales has been awarded a grant to deliver StandingTall to older adults in their home. The grant will allow Dr van Schooten and her team to develop an effective and feasible healthcare delivery model to support older Australians to live at home for longer, while being more active and enjoying their lives.

Support for people at risk of frailty

Grant program: Identification and provision of management support for people at risk of frailty in general practice to reduce potentially preventable hospitalisations (Mater Research Institute/University of Queensland)

Frailty is a medical condition that can occur in older adults experiencing physiological decline and illness along with existing functional challenges, according to The University of Queensland (UQ). People with frailty use healthcare services more often than non-frail counterparts, experience higher rates of illness and death and lower quality of life. It can also be stressful for carers.

While up to 25% of people aged 70 and over can experience frailty, many causes can be managed and sometimes reversed. It’s important, however, to identify the at-risk population.

This grant will support Dr Caroline Nicholson from the Centre for Health System Reform and Integration in examining the impact of a Frail Scale Screening Tool in general practice, and the services needed in the community to support those who are pre-frail and at risk of frailty.

Palliative care at home

Grant program: Implementing and evaluating an integrative palliative care model for older
people in the community who wish to die at home (Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research)

End-of-life choices can sometimes be limited by a patient’s age, location or the type of assistance they require. Grant recipient, Professor Josephine Chow, from the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, has led the establishment of a community Palliative Care Home Support Packages (PEACH) program to give people rapid access to clinical and related support services to ensure they have safe and comfortable end-of-life care at home.

Access to palliative care in the community is important for patients and their carers/families during all phases of their care trajectory, Prof Chow explains.

"This is particularly true of the vulnerable older population, especially those who do not have a cancer diagnosis as they tend to miss out on community palliative care services.

"This grant will allow the research team to understand how to enhance the provision of home-based palliative care to support death at home and ensure optimal symptom control for older patients by implementing and evaluating an end-of-life palliative care program at home."

Helping Aussies enjoy healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives with independence is a priority for us, and this makes healthy ageing an actionable plan – not just an idea. That’s Uncommon Care.

Research to improve the health of Australians

The HCF Research Foundation aims to deliver better health outcomes and access to affordable, high-quality healthcare when and where it's needed.