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Scientia Professor of Ageing and Mental Health, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, UNSW Sydney

Research Interests:
- Cognitive health and ageing: What predicts cognitive decline in older people? We are conducting a population based study of >1000 older people to discover what are risk and protective factors.

- Dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease: how to improve its detection and management by GPs; the effects on family carers and on how best to help them; trials of new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; ways to improve quality of life in people with dementia and reduce behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)

- Positive ageing.

- Nursing homes: In Australia the 180,000 nursing home beds cost >$4b p.a. Over two thirds of nursing home residents have dementia and they exhibit high rates of BPSD, which are distressing to themselves, their families and the staff. We are interested in ways of reducing BPSD and have been trialling different models of care

- Broad Research Areas:
Ageing, Psychiatry, Gerontology - Geriatrics, Neurodegenerative Diseases

Qualifications:
MBBS (Syd), MD (UNSW), DSc (UNSW), FRACP, FRANZCP

Society Memberships & Professional Activities:
Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, International Psychogeriatric Association, Alzheimer's Association, NSW, Alzheimer's Association, Australia, Alzheimer's Disease International, Australian Association of Gerontology

Specific Research Keywords:
Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, Depression, Nursing Homes, Behavioural Symptoms

Experience

  • 2012–present
    Co-Director, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, UNSW
  • 2006–present
    Director, Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, UNSW
  • 1990–present
    Professor, Ageing and Mental Health, UNSW

Education

  • 2006 
    DSc, UNSW
  • 1985 
    MD, UNSW
  • 1977 
    Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, FRANZCP
  • 1973 
    Royal Australasian College of Physicians, FRACP
  • 1970 
    MB BS, U Syd

Grants and Contracts

  • 2016
    Maintain Your Brain
    Role:
    CIA
    Funding Source:
    National Health and Medical Research Council

Professional Memberships

  • International Psychogeriatric Association
  • Australian Association of Gerontology
  • Alzheimer's Disease International
  • Alzheimer's Australia

Honours

AO