Student Projects

• The effect of Spousal/Partner Bereavement on Thinking Skills (Cognition) in Older Adults
• The role of formal and informal support in maintaining physical and psychological health in later life
• The Relationship between Visual Attention and Safe Driving in Older Adults
• Telomeres and Ageing
• Are all Measures of Self-Rated Health Created Equal? The Effect of the Point of Reference of Self-Rated Health Measures on the Health Perceptions of the Elderly
• The Relationship Between Cognition and Mortality in an Aeing Community Sample

Barbara Boyer (Masters Candidate)

The effect of Spousal/Partner Bereavement on Thinking Skills (Cognition) in Older Adults

This research examines the associations between spousal bereavement, cognitive change and depression in older Australians. Data from the 60+ cohort at Wave 1 and 2 are being analysed from the PATH through life project.

Natalie Chan (PhD Candidate)

The role of formal and informal support in maintaining physical and psychological health in later life

Research has found increasing functional disability in later life to be associated with poorer psychological health outcomes. Further, physical health decline is considered to be a significant risk factor for major depression and other mental health disorders in older adulthood. One factor that has been found to be effective in offsetting the negative effects of physical decline on psychological health is informal social support.

In contrast, very little is known about whether formal support may play a similarly protective role. This is despite the growing relevance of formal support services in Australia’s ageing population.

As a result, this research aims to increase our understanding of the possible protective effects of formal support by examining who receives formal support and whether it protects against the negative effects of physical health decline on psychological health. These research questions will be examined both cross-sectionally and longitudinally using data from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Visual Attention profile showing spatial performance fields across the central 30-degrees of the visual field.

Chris Hatherly (PhD Candidate)

The Relationship between Visual Attention and Safe Driving in Older Adults

Chris’ PhD project is investigating spatial and temporal aspects of visual attention and processing, focussing particularly on the periphery of vision. Initial studies will be used to develop a novel component of a safety screening battery for older drivers, based on an established visual attention screening paradigm. Chris’ project will also examine short and medium term change in cognitive and visual attention and in driving performance in older adults in a study which follows participants with regular follow-up tests for several months.

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Karen Mather (PhD Candidate)

Telomeres and Ageing

Telomeres are DNA-protein structures which are found at the ends of our chromosomes. As we get older, our telomeres shorten. Shortened telomeres have been associated with age-related conditions, disease and mortality in several studies. This suggests telomere length may act as an indicator of biological ageing (biomarker of ageing). In this investigation, telomere length is being explored as a biomarker of ageing in participants of the PATH Through Life Project MRI sub-studies. Relationships between telomere length, age-sensitive traits such as lung function, stress and health are being investigated.

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Kerry Sargent-Cox (PhD Candidate)

Are all Measures of Self-Rated Health Created Equal? The Effect of the Point of Reference of Self-Rated Health Measures on the Health Perceptions of the Elderly

Self-Rated Health (SRH) measures are used widely in gerontological research and clinical work and have been deemed a key measure of well-being as well as an important predictor of health outcomes including mortality.
This thesis aims to clarify the effects of using SRH measures with a comparative reference point (age and self referential) compared to a global item on health evaluation for older adults. Longitudinal change of SRH according to the point of reference, and the identification of factors that may be associated with different SRH change and subsequent mortality risk, is being examined. The study is framed within Social Comparison theory, to allow for exploration of comparison processes invoked when assessing health, and the potential adaptive function these processes hold for successful ageing. Physical health, psychological, social, and behavioural factors are investigated using longitudinal samples (65 years and older) from the Australian Study of Ageing (ALSA).

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Philip Batterham (PhD Candidate)

The Relationship Between Cognition and Mortality in an Aeing Community Sample

Previous studies have found that better cognitive performance is associated with lower mortality rates, particularly when examining performance on memory and intelligence tasks.  Stable cognitive performance over time has also been shown to be related to lower mortality.  This study examines mortality data collected in the Canberra Longitudinal Study over 17 years, in conjunction with 12 years of survey data covering a range of cognitive, demographic, physical health, mental health and social support measures.  The study aims to further delineate the relationship between cognition and mortality by examining the duration of the effect, testing the specificity of the cognitive change and seeking a causal explanation for the relationship.

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