News and Events

2008 | 2007

2008

Volunteering and Psychological Well-being, February, 2008

Dr Tim Windsor and his colleagues at ARU have published their research investigating levels of volunteering and its impact on well-being in adults aged between 64 and 68. They found associations between hours spent volunteering and psychological well-being to be characterised by inverted U-shapes. That is, too much or too little volunteering appear to reduce well-being, whereby the optimal level of volunteering lies between these two boundaries. This research paper has been published in the health module of The Gerontologist.

Reference: Windsor, T. D., Anstey, K. J., & Rodgers, B. (2008). Volunteering and psychological well-being amoung young-old adults: How much is too much? The Gerontologist, 48, 59-70.

A Head Start on Dementia, Thursday 5 May, 2008

Associate Professor Kaarin Anstey was interviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald on her research reviewing the link between cholesterol levels and dementia. Kaarin found that high cholesterol levels in mid-life was associated with having dementia later in life, including Alzheimer's disease. This suggests that maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being physically active during mid-life can help reduce the risk of dementia. The results of this review have been published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. For more information, please read A Head Start on Dementia.

Reference: Anstey, K. J., Lipnikci, D. M., & Low, L-F. (2008). Cholesterol as a risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline: A systematic review of prospective studies with meta-analysis. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 16, 343-354.

Forum for Research on Ageing and Longevity, Thursday 24 April, 2008

The ANU stream of the ARC/NHMRC Research Network in Ageing Well is sponsoring a Forum for Research on Ageing and Longevity at the Australian National University. The keynote speakers will be Professor Felicia Huppert, Current and Founding Director of The Well-Being Institute (WBI), University of Cambridge, and Director of the Cambridge Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Ageing (CIRCA) and Professor David Melzer, Director of the Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth. Read more>>

Read the Canberra Times media release on the Forum for Research on Ageing and Longevity.

Involvement in Australia 2020 Summit

Associate Professor Kaarin Anstey has been selected to participate in the health section for the Australia 2020 summit convened by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on April 19 and 20. Kaarin is also taking part in the local Canberra 2020 summit convened by Chief Minister Jon Stanhope on April 5. For more information, please visit the Australia 2020 Summit website and read the Canberra 2020 Summit media release.

COTA Over 50s’ Postgraduate Research Award, Friday 28 March, 2008

ARU's Natalie Chan was one of six students awarded COTA’s Postgraduate Research Award for a research paper of excellence at the Emerging Researchers in Ageing Masterclass, which was held in late March 2008. In collaboration with a mentor from COTA, her paper will now be developed into substantial paper for publication in the Issues in Ageing: A Journal of Award-Winning Postgraduate Research published on the COTA Over 50s’ website by its National Policy Research Centre. For more information, please read Emerging Researchers in Ageing (ERA) – COTA Over 50s Award.

Life Matters, Friday 22 February, 2008

Associate Professor Kaarin Anstey was a guest speaker on Life Matters, ABC Radio National program discussing memory and ageing. For more information, please visit the Life Matters website.

Wisdom - cognitive decline with age, Tuesday 8 January, 2008

Associate Professor Kaarin Anstey was a guest speaker on 2CC Talkback Breakfast Show.

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2007

Positive Ageing talk and open discussion, Monday 12 November, 2007

In association with the Australian Psychological Society's National Psychology Week, Associate Professor Kaarin Anstey will be giving a talk on "Positive Ageing: The Benefits of Mental Health for Maintaining Physical Function and Longevity". This will be followed by an open discussion with an opportunity to discuss the broader potential for the psychological profession to contribute to successful ageing and society. Read more>>

ACT Intergenerational Forum: Ageing in the 21st Century, Tuesday 30 October, 2007

Canberra postgraduate students will be speaking about their research on various topics in successful ageing. The keynote lecture, "Baby Boomers' Attitudes Towards Retirement", will be presented by Dr Clive Hamilton, The Australian Institute. To downloaded selected materials from the event, please visit the Intergenerational Forum website. Read more>>

Healthy Ageing news item, Tuesday 31 July, 2007

Dr Tim Windsor was a guestspeaker on various radio programs, including ABC News, ABC Radio Canberra, and 2CC News (Canberra), discussing his research investigating how certain factors influence the health and wellbeing of people as they get older. For more information, please read the Researchers study how to be old and happy article on the ABC News website.

Longitudinal Methods for Discrete Outcomes workshop, 27 and 28 June, 2007

Associate Professor Kaarin Anstey and Dr Judith Healy from the ARC/NHMRC Research Network in Ageing Well, hosted a small statistics workshop on longitudinal methods at the ANU. Dr Adrian Barnett, Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics from the University of Queensland, presented the "Longitudinal Methods for Discrete Outcomes" course.

This workshop was considered a great success with 19 attendees on the first day of the workshop, which covered terminology, statistical modelling, and methods for handling missing data. Following the first day of the workshop, Dr Barnett along with a dozen workshop participants, enjoyed a 3-course dinner at Teatro Vivaldi’s. Some of the workshop participants returned for the practical course on the second day to work on specific problems analysing their data sets. Many of the workshop participants expressed their appreciation, finding the course useful for their own research and for more effective collaborations in the future.

Smoking linked to higher risk of dementia news item, Saturday 16 June, 2007

Associate Professor Kaarin Anstey was interviewed by ABC News on her research reviewing the link between smoking and dementia in studies conducted on more than 13,000 people. The results of the review have been published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. For more information, please read the Researchers link smoking to higher risk of developing dementia ABC news article.

Reference: Anstey, K. J., von Sanden, C., Salim, A., & O’Kearney, R. (2007). Smoking as a risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. American Journal of Epidemiology, 166, 367-378.

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