2020 Tall Poppies of SA Science include SAHMRI aged care researchers
SAHMRI researchers improving the lives of aged care residents feature in the 2020 Tall Poppies of SA Science. See the full list of award winners.
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Two young scientists striving for better aged care are among ten SA researchers receiving Tall Poppy Science Awards this year.
The Australian Institute of Policy and Science selects early-career researchers who have demonstrated excellence in their field as well as passion and commitment to communicating the results.
At SAHMRI, the Registry of Senior Australians captures the aged care experience of almost three million people from 1997 to 2019.
Award recipient, ROSA director Associate Professor Maria Inacio said her team uses the data to support evidence-based care.
“This is a very specific population of people who are extremely vulnerable,” she said.
“The sector is going through massive changes at a really challenging time, so giving information back has never been more needed.”
The Interim Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety used evidence from SAHMRI research to call for urgent action on the need to reduce the waiting list for higher level care at home – and to respond to the significant over-reliance on chemical restraint in aged care.
UniSA clinical pharmacist Dr Janet Sluggett, an award recipient, spoke as an expert witness on the use of medicines in aged care, where residents typically take 10 different drugs daily.
A trial at Helping Hand Aged Care reduced the burden for everyone.
“Medicines can be really beneficial but they can also potentially have side effects and sometimes don’t mix well together,” she said.
“So it’s always a good idea to have a pharmacist come in and do a medication review.”
2020 YOUNG TALL POPPY SCIENCE AWARDS
SAHMRI/UniSA:
Dr Janet Sluggett
A/Prof Maria Inacio
Flinders University:
Dr Alice Clement
Dr Ian Moffat
Dr Margaret Shanafield
The University of Adelaide:
Dr Kylie Dunning;
Dr Yan Jiao;
Dr Yuval Yarom;
Dr Rhiannon Schilling (also at SARDI)
CQUniversity, Adelaide:
Dr Grace Vincent