Health and Ageing Research Unit
Location
War Memorial Hospital
125 Birrell Street
Waverley NSW 2024
Unit staffing
Dr Lynn Chenoweth, Professor of Aged & Extended Care Nursing
Ph: 02 9369 0288
Fax: 02 9387 7018
E-mail: Lynn.Chenoweth@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au or Lynnette.Chenoweth@uts.edu.au
Dr June Sheriff, Nursing Research Officer
Ph: 02 9369 0283
Fax: 02 9387 7018
E-mail: June.Sheriff@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Dr Teri Merlyn, Research Assistant
Ph: 02 9514 5710 or 0417 811 032
Fax: 02 9514 5049
E-mail: Teri.Merlyn@uts.edu.au
Ms Fiona Tait, Research Assistant
Ph: 02 9369 0304
Mob: 0402 988 601
Ms Chanel Burke, Research Assistant
Ph: 02 9369 0304
Mob: 0410 640 034
Ms Janet Cooke, Research Assistant
Ph: 02 9514 5710
Mob: 0400 475 038
Dr Salin Watcharupongkitti, Research Assistant
Ph: 02 9514 5710
Mr Stefan Wagiel, Administrative Assistant (Tues & Thurs)
Ph: 02 9369 0304
E-mail: haruresearch@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Mission
The Health & Ageing Research Unit (HARU) serves as a focal point for nursing research, practice development and education into clinical and policy issues associated with health care for the older population. These activities are based on a Primary Health Care philosophy and support a wellness model, which is of the view that health and other community support services exist to promote the health & well being of all people.
Through collaborating with health care practitioners, service managers, health consumers, local communities, interest groups and policy makers, the HARU seeks to create opportunities for older people to live meaningfully whatever their life circumstances, and in all health care contexts.
The research, practice development and education agenda focuses on addressing their individual health needs, preferences and perspectives, and facilitates independence and self-determination.
Recent Achievements
Since 2000 HARU staff have collaborated with nurses and allied health staff, managers, health consumers, key health service agencies, and academic colleagues from nursing, engineering and design, architecture and building in 18 competitively funded research projects across the health continuum. This research has focused on health and well-being in older persons, their families, people with dementia, stroke and Parkinson's disease, improving care delivery processes, systems, environments and policies across the health continuum, and developing functional aids for these population groups. Financial support for these projects was obtained from the National Health & Medical Research Council, the Australian Government Premiers' Department and Department of Women, Alzheimer's Australia, Parkinson's NSW, NSW Health, Perpetual Foundation, Uniting CareAgeing, South Eastern Sydney-Illawarra Area Health Service, and the former South Western Sydney Area Health Service. HARU has actively encouraged older people and their advocates to participate an all aspects of these research and practice development projects and to offer suggestions for areas needing further research.
At the present time the HARU is leading and contributing substantially to 7 projects in the following areas:
- Investigating medication safety for patients with Parkinson's disease when hospitalised
- Developing and testing person-centred care and person-centred care environments which aim to improve the quality of life for people with dementia living in residential care, and to facilitate improved care delivery
- Identifying, reviewing and recommending the most suitable and effective dementia outcome measures for use in the Australian clinical care setting, community and in research
- Investigating reasons why nurses seek and remain employed in health settings that care for older persons, and testing the effectiveness of the salient factors that support nurse recruitment and retention in the field of aged care
- Development, implementation and evaluation of dementia nursing care competencies
- Development and evaluation of a person-centred care model aimed at in improving the health, well-being and social engagement of community-dwelling older persons
- Evaluating the efficacy of an acute aged care assessment and discharge planning protocol which aims to maintain health, well-being and satisfaction, and prevent iatroneic illness and harm occurring to older people in the hospital setting
Professor Lynn Chenoweth supervises post-graduate students undertaking research degrees in the following areas:
- Dementia and aged care nursing practice
- Outcomes of therapy, care management and systems for older health consumers
- Experiencing health, illness. disability and recovery in older age
- Developing and evaluating health outcome measures
Research Approaches
As the variety of older patients/resident needs strongly influence the research conducted, the research approach is eclectic. Lynn Chenoweth is experienced in undertaking research and supervising student in the following research methodologies:
- Grounded Theory
- Action Research
- Case study
- Interview
- Questionnaire/survey
- Observation
- Focus group discussion
- Delphi technique
- Document review
- Randomised clinical controlled trials
Support Services
The HARU staff provide support services in the following areas:
- Mentoring area aged care staff in developing research experience and expertise
- Membership of area wide committees & working parties focussed on issues pertinent to improving health care services and outcomes for older patients, community clients, nursing home & hostel residents, and their families
- Advocating for older people through public forums, conferences, and publications
- Consultations for government departments and other public organisations in matters relating to health care standards, and policy & practice development
- Advising and contributing to aged & extended care and research curriculum and education for the SESIAHS.
- Expert witness for the common law courts