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Adjunct Associate Professor, La Trobe University

Dr Di Winkler AM is an Occupational Therapist who has worked with people with severe brain injury for more than twenty years. Di was the Chief Occupational Therapist at Ivanhoe Manor Private Rehabilitation Hospital prior to developing a private practice working with people with acquired brain injury in the community. Di completed her PhD at Monash University focusing on the social inclusion of young people in nursing homes.

Di is the CEO and Founder of the Summer Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the issue of younger people living in Residential Aged Care (RAC). The Summer Foundation focuses on practical research and seeks to provide workable solutions that improve the health and well-being of this population. Di is also a director of Summer Housing, a not-for-profit Special Disability Accommodation (SDA) provider.

http://www.summerfoundation.org.au/

Experience

  • 2006–present
    Chief Executive Officer, Summer Foundation

Education

  • 2011 
    Monash University, PhD
  • 2002 
    Monash University, MA AppSc
  • 1989 
    La Trobe University, BAppSc (OT)

Publications

  • 2020
    Young people in Australian residential aged care: Evaluating trends from 2008 to 2018, Australian Health Review
  • 2020
    Factors that influence the quality of paid support for adults with acquired neurological disability: Scoping review and thematic synthesis, Disability and Rehabilitation
  • 2020
    Smart home and communication technology for people with disability: A scoping review, Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
  • 2020
    A scoping review to explore the experiences and outcomes of younger people with disabilities in residential aged care facilities, Brain Injury
  • 2020
    The outcomes of individualized housing for people with disability and complex needs: A scoping review, Disability and Rehabilitation
  • 2020
    The use of electronic assistive technology for social networking by people with disability living in shared supported accommodation, Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
  • 2019
    Understanding the factors that influence the quality of paid disability support for adults with acquired neurological disability and complex needs: A scoping review protocol, BMJ Open
  • 2018
    Evaluating the use of smart home technology by people with brain impairment: Protocol for a single-case experimental design, JMIR Research Protocols
  • 2018
    Electronic assistive technology use in Australian shared supported accommodation: Rates and user characteristics, Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
  • 2017
    Electronic assistive technology used by people with acquired brain injury in shared supported accommodation: Implications for occupational therapy, British Journal of Occupational Therapy
  • 2017
    Shared home ownership by people with disability, AHURI Final Report
  • 2016
    The Community Integration Questionnaire - revised: Australian normative data and measurement of electronic networking, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
  • 2015
    Everyday choice making: Outcomes of young people with acquired brain injury after moving from residential aged care to community-based supported accommodation, Brain Impairment
  • 2012
    Accommodation outcomes and transitions following community-based intervention for individuals with acquired brain injuury, Brain Impairment
  • 2011
    Moving from aged care facilities to community-based accommodation: Outcomes and environment, Brain Injury
  • 2011
    Young people in aged care: Progress of the current national program, Australian Health Review
  • 2010
    People under 50 with acquired brain injury living in residential aged care, Brain Impairment
  • 2010
    Comparison of people with ABI living in two accommodation settings, Brain Impairment
  • 2009
    Changes in care and support needs following community-based intervention for individuals with acquired brain injury, Brain Impairment
  • 2009
    The community approach to participation: Outcomes following acquired brain injury intervention, Brain Impairment
  • 2007
    Long-term outcomes following traumatic brain injury, Brain Impairment
  • 2007
    Long-term accommodation and support for people with higher levels of challenging behaviour, Brain Impairment
  • 2006
    Factors that lead to successful community integration, Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation
  • 2006
    People under 60 living in aged care facilities in Victoria, Australian Health Review
  • 2005
    Time use following a severe traumatic brain injury, Journal of Occupational Science
  • 2005
    Maintaining and developing friendships following severe traumatic brain injury: Principles of occupational therapy practice, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
  • 2004
    Community integration following severe traumatic brain injury: Outcomes and best practice, Brain Impairment

Research Areas

  • Public Policy (160510)
  • Health And Community Services (111708)

Honours

HonLLD Monash