Showcasing Healthy Ageing Research at International Congress

Members of our research team were proud to contribute to the IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics, which took place in Amsterdam from 5 to 8 July, presenting research that is helping to shape approaches to healthy ageing, frailty prevention and person-centred care.

With a focus on supporting older adults to live well in their communities, several key themes emerged across the four-day event:

• Frailty as a priority for early identification and prevention
• Healthy ageing and wellbeing across the life course - addressing physical, cognitive, social and emotional domains through a preventative approach to maintain independence and wellbeing
• Collaboration with older people in research and service design
• Creating age-friendly environments to support older people to age in place.

Our team was able to present on a range of topics.

Professor Stacey George showcased research on:

• Cognitive frailty, highlighting the complex interaction between physical frailty and cognitive decline
• Co-designed integrated services for people living with heart failure and frailty, demonstrating how collaborative models can better support people with complex health needs
• Frailty identification in general practice, showcasing the opportunities for primary care to play a central role in early recognition and intervention

Dr Heather Block presented findings from research exploring the barriers and enablers to implementing frailty identification in general practice. The research highlighted system, practice, clinician and patient-level factors that influence implementation and identified practical strategies to support the integration of frailty identification into routine primary care.

PhD Candidate Jolyn Johal presented research examining general practice services in residential aged care, contributing important insights into how primary care can better support residents living in aged care settings and strengthen integration between sectors.

The congress provided a great opportunity to share our research on an international stage and contribute to improving health ageing in our communities.