Department of Aged and Extended Care Services

Overview

The Aged & Extended Care Services (Geriatric Medicine) has the clinical aim of providing a service of excellence to older people across the healthcare spectrum. It has a strong focus also on clinical education and translational research.

The academic department has established the University of Adelaide Geriatrics Teaching and Research with Aged Care Centre (Adelaide G-TRAC) in partnership with Resthaven Inc. to support teaching, training and research relevant to consumers of aged care.

Research Focus

• Under-nutrition

• Sarcopenia

• Frailty

• Technology in Healthcare and Falls Prevention

• Post-prandial Hypotension, Mobility and Cardiovascular Mechanisms

• Medication Complexity In Hospitalized Older People

• Medical Education

Technology in Health Care and Falls Prevention In Hospital and Aged Care

The team is developing a technology system that identifies changes in posture associated with increased risk of falls and alerts caregivers. This enables them to provide timely supervision. The study was funded by THRF research will continue in 2013.

Post-prandial Hypotension and Mobility

Post-prandial hypotension is the fall in blood pressure which can occur following a meal, and is said to put an older person at-risk of increased falls. Researchers are using a GaitRite Analysis Walkway, purchased by THRF and Kidman Park Rotary Club, to evaluate if there are changes to gait parameters following a glucose drink compared to water in healthy older volunteers. Another study will look at the effects on cardiovascular changes associated with this condition.

Frailty and Nutrition (FAN) Study

A radio-frequency identification device which detects transitions in patient movements is being developed. This device may lead to falls prevention in acute care. The team is finalising recruitment results will be analysed in 2014.

Nutritional Frailty In Hospitalized Patients

The health outcomes of hospitalised older patients with under-nutrition or frailty are being measured every 6 and 12 months. Ms Elsa Dent has published or submitted six publications and is expected to submit her thesis in May 2013, she will now spend time researching in France. While the association between medication complexity and health outcomes of frail hospitalized older patients is also being analysed.

Sarcopenia Research

An international consensus guideline is being developed surrounding recommended protein intake in older people and will be published in 2013.

The ‘Meals on Wheels’ Nutritional Intervention Study

This is a new collaboration between Meals on Wheels South Australia (MOW-SA) and researchers from the Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Nutritional Physiology, Interventions and Outcomes. Currently pilot work is underway to determine project feasibility.

Orthogeriatric Care and Osteoporosis Management In Patients Presenting With Falls

A pilot quality improvement project to improve osteoporosis management in patients presenting to hospital following a fall is underway.

Staff

Clinical Director & Associate Professor

R Visvanathan PhD GradCertEd (Higher Ed.) FRACP MBBS ATCL

Academic Staff

Research Fellow

Dr Cynthia Piantadosi BApplSci (Hon) PhD

Adelaide G-TRAC (University of Adelaide Geriatrics Teaching and Research with Aged Care Centre)

Centre Coordinator – Ms Rosie Bonin

Centre Academic (Teaching Lead) -

Dr Jeanine Teo MBBS FRACGP

Centre Academic (Research Lead) -

Dr Neha Mahajan PhD MPsych MAPsychol BA

Consultant Staff

K Parasivam (Deputy Director) FRACP MBBS

S Yu (Acting Deputy Director) FRACP MBBS LTCL

J Ng FRACP MBBS

F Ibrahim FRACP CCT UK MRCP MBBCh LRCPSI

P Shibu FRACP MD CCT UK MRCP MBBS

S Nair MBBS MRCP Fellowship Geriatric Medicine (Malaysia)

F Cai FRACP MBBS

Postgraduate Students

4 PhD Candidates

4 Masters Candidates

Collaborators

Professor Ian Chapman, Professor Karen Jones, Ms Kylie Lange and Dr Natalie Luscombe, CRE Translating Nutritional Science To Good Health, University of Adelaide, South Australia

Dr Damith Ranasinghe, Director, Adelaide Auto-ID Lab and Faculty of Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia

Dr Diana Gentilcore, Senior Lecturer in Nuclear Medicine, University of South Australia

Associate Professor Simon Bell, School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, University of South Australia

Professor Jon Karnon, Health Economics, University of Adelaide, South Australia

Dr Sharmalar Rajendran, Department of Cardiology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Associate Professor Michelle Miller, Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Medicine, Flinders University, South Australia

Professor Keith Hill, Head of School, School of Physiotherapy, Curtin University, Western Australia

Associate Professor Peter Hunter, Clinical Program Director Rehabilitation and Aged Care, Alfred Health, Victoria

Associate Professor Vasi Naganathan, Centre for Education and Research on Ageing (CERA), Sydney University, NSW

Professor Ian Cameron, Rehabilitation Medicine, Sydney University, New South Wales