Graduated from the Derby School of Occupational Therapy in the UK in 1981, and worked as an OT in a variety of adult rehabilitation settings and social services programs in Sheffield and London prior to emigrating to Australia in 1986 to work in Newcastle NSW. Worked in orthopaedics,general medicine and managed the Hunter Equipment Service and PADP services before being appointed asthe first OT employed by community health services in Newcastle to implement the Home and Community Care home modifications service in the Hunter region.
After working as the Head OT at Maitland Hospital, began academic work as a foundation staff member of the new undergraduate OT program at the University of Newcastle in 1991, and co-ordinated their fieldwork program for 7 years as well as teaching and developing the problem based learning curriculum there. Completed my PhD in epidemiology in 2002 by investigating falls amongst older people in NSW and Qld as part of the DVA Preventive Care Trialwhich formed the basis for the over 75s check later implemented by Medicare. Moved to Sydney in 2007 to co-ordinate the revised MOT program, and am currently involved in several research project related to older people in the community.
Experience
2006–present
Associate Professor, University of Sydney
Education
2002
University of Newcastle, Australia, PhD
1995
University of Newcastle, Australia, Master of Educational Studies
1994
University of Newcastle, Australia, Bachelor of Educational Studies
1990
Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia, Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)
1981
Derby School of Occupational Therapy, UK, Diploma of the College of Occupational Therapists
Publications
2013
Outcomes for graduates of the Sydney Master of Occupational Therapy program: Findings from three years of follow up data, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2013
Occupational therapists partnering with general practitioners to prevent falls: Seizing opportunities in primary health care, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2013
Functional capacity evaluation: Content validity of the Workhab, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2013
What are the health needs of older men living in the community? A study of 36,963 Australian men aged 70 years and over in NSW, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2013
Circumstances of falls leading to fractured hips in older people living in residential care in the Hunter Region of Australia, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2013
Womens’ experiences of chemobrain or changes in cognitive functioning following chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2012
The inter-rater and test retest reliability of the Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool , Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2012
Occupational therapy discharge planning for older adults: A protocol for a randomised trial and economic evaluation, BMC Geriatrics
2012
The Enhanced Primary Care Program and Falls Prevention: Perceptions of Private Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists, Australasian Journal on Ageing
2012
Supporting housing and neighbourhoods for healthy ageing: Findings from the Housing and Independent Living Study (HAIL)., Australasian Journal on Ageing
2011
Pressure care practice and occupational therapy: Findings of an exploratory study, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2011
How occupational therapists are perceived within inpatient mental health settings: The perceptions of seven Australian nurses , Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2011
Ageing well from an urban indigenous Australian perspective, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2011
Inter and intra-rater reliability of the Manual Handling component of the WorkHab functional Capacity Evaluation, Disability and Rehabilitation
2011
Transition of graduates of the Master of Occupational Therapy to practice, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
2011
A self-report tool was able to identify older women at risk of falls in their home environment, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Grants and Contracts
2014
Establishing pathways to implement and sustain evidence based falls prevention in primary care: The iSOLVE project
Role:
CI
Funding Source:
NH&MRC Partnership Grant
2012
A RCT to improve health outcomes for older care recipients and their older carers using a home-based physical activity program.
Role:
AI
Funding Source:
NH&MRC project grant
2011
Transition from hospital to home: Effectiveness of an occupational therapy home visit discharge program for at risk older adults.
Role:
AI
Funding Source:
NH&MRC Project grant
2010
Pilot study to test the feasibility of the Enhanced Primary Care falls prevention program.
Role:
CI
Funding Source:
Ageing Work and Health Research Centre
2009
Environmental and built factors for maintaining independence in older age.