Research round-up

In this story:

• Work on electronic advanced care planning gathers pace
• University-provider collaboration investigates falls program
• Participants sought for study on exercise and brain function

Work on electronic advanced care planning gathers pace 

Research surrounding a potential model for people to electronically store their personal preferences for treatment and care has captured national policy attention.

UTAS Rural Clinical School (Burnie) researchers Professor Isabelle Ellis, Linda Jaffray and Cathy Smith have spent the past 18 months looking at what is known about electronic advance care planning in the community, especially for older people with chronic, life-limiting illness.

The researchers’ focus has been to start putting the patient and their values at the centre of the decision making process, with an aim to engage them in the advance care planning process long before they become seriously ill or face transition to an acute care or residential aged care facility.

The research team has been invited to help inform the National Development of Advance Care Directives on the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR).

The Australian Government launched the PCEHR system last year.

University-provider collaboration investigates falls program

Early results from a small-scale falls prevention program in a residential facility “look promising”, according to the researchers involved though they acknowledge a larger, more robust study is warranted.

Delma Glindemann, a physiotherapist at Churches of Christ Care Lady Small Haven Aged Care Service at Benowa, Queensland developed a group exercise program for residents. The program consists of a range of exercises important for balance maintenance, including improving strength, balance, fitness, endurance and gait.

Although the exercises were selected based on evidence from scientific research, the facility was interested to find out whether the program, in its entirety, reduced the fall risk of residents, said Carmela Lagasca, Churches of Christ in Queensland research facilitator. “We therefore contacted the University of Queensland’s School of Human Movement Studies to assist us with evaluating the program.”

During 2012, 26 residents participated in the 12 weekly exercise program—the exercise group. The sessions were offered to all residents and participation was on a voluntary basis. The fall risk of the exercise group was compared with the fall risk of a selection of 26 residents who chose not to participate in the exercise group – the control group.

Less than half the residents – 42 per cent – in the exercise group fell at least once and were classified as ‘fallers’ compared to 81 per cent in the control group.

“These results look very promising,” said Dr Geeske Peeters, research fellow at the University of Queensland’s School of Human Movement Studies. However, she said it was important to note that the two groups differed in their level of physical functioning and that participation was voluntary.

“It is important to evaluate this exercise program in a proper randomised, controlled trial in which the exercise and control groups are similar in terms of their physical and mental functioning at the start of the program,” said Dr Tina Skinner, lecturer at the School of Human Movement Studies .

Churches of Christ in Queensland is now looking at options to evaluate this program in a large scale study in collaboration with the University of Queensland.

Participants sought for study on exercise and brain function 

Researchers from The University of Western Australia are looking for people concerned about their declining memory to participate in a new study into the effects of exercise on brain function.

Winthrop Professor Daniel Green, of the School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, said recent studies suggested that exercise prevented cognitive decline and may even increase the number and function of nerve cells in the brain.  However, the best type of exercise to achieve this result in humans remained unknown.

“In this experiment we will study the impact of different forms of exercise on brain blood flow and function,” Professor Green said.  “Our aims are to understand the mechanisms responsible for the benefits of exercise as we age and to optimise exercise interventions.”

The Preventia study will target older adults who have concerns about their memory but have not actually been diagnosed with any cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers will trial two different types of exercise (land-based and water-based walking) to see if one is better than the other at improving how the brain works – in particular the blood flow in the brain.

Researchers are looking for healthy, non-smoking, inactive men and post-menopausal women over 50 who have concerns about their memory but do not have diagnosed cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. Inactive is defined as not doing more than 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week.

Potential candidates for the Preventia study should contact Angela Spence on 08 6488 2378 during office hours.