He kōrero nā te Tumuaki
Update from the Chair
Tēnā koutou katoa.
As another year comes to a close, it’s important to take some time to reflect back upon 2021. It is a year that has seen the emergence of the Delta variant of COVID-19, more lockdowns, and a roll out of the national vaccine program. We have much to be thankful for, but in much the same way as the year before, it was a year full of uncertainty.
We should acknowledge the collective grief of this pandemic, particularly as we enter a period that looks different from most other years. What we traditionally do at Christmas time may not be what we can do this year. It is important for all of us to be mindful of the impact COVID-19 has had on our community and loved ones.
One question I encourage us to ask ourselves when planning travel around Aotearoa New Zealand in the coming weeks is ‘how would I feel if I were to unwittingly bring COVID to this community?’. The social responsibility falls on all of us to be conscious of the burden we may be placing on communities, and particularly on remote communities, who are least able to weather the storm.
Many of us will be spending time with friends and whānau over this New Year period, so I also encourage respectful conversations about vaccination and about what is important. The more open and honest conversation can be with loved ones, the stronger our relationships can be. In the newsletter below, we have linked to a helpful resource on how to talk to people who have been influenced by vaccine minsinformation to help facilitate these important conversations.
As we transition to the new traffic light alert system throughout Aotearoa, I urge you to familiarise yourself with the levels and what they mean for you and your whānau. Please continue to scan in wherever you go to help keep your community safe and assist contact tracers in identifying the path of the virus.
I wish you and your whānau all the best for Christmas and hope you can safely enjoy some well-earned rest over the summer.
Will Edwards,
Chair, Ageing Well National Science Challenge
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Prof Baxter Appointed Dean of Graduate School
Ageing Well is proud to congratulate our Co-Director Professor David Baxter on his appointment as Dean of the University of Otago Graduate Research School.
“In a research-intensive university like Otago, this position plays a pivotal part in ensuring the success of future generations of graduate researchers and preparing them for the ever-changing research environments,” said Professor Baxter. Read more.
Director of Ageing Well, Associate Professor Louise Parr-Brownlie, was elated at the news.
“This is a wonderful professional opportunity for Professor Baxter and I am gratified that he has been recognized for his long-standing commitment to fostering graduate research,” Associate Professor Parr-Brownlie said.
“Additionally, I am also pleased that his role as Dean will still allow for his continued involvement as Co-Director of Ageing Well.”
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Regional Symposia
In November, we hosted a series of regional symposia around the country to connect with Ageing Well whānau. The first two events in Dunedin and Christchurch were able to be face-to-face, though the symposia scheduled for Auckland, Hamilton, and Wellington took place via Zoom.
Director of Ageing Well, Associate Professor Louise Parr-Brownlie, and Co-Director, Professor David Baxter provided an update on what has been happening in our organisation and to facilitate the discussion on where we hope to go in the future.
These discussions proved fruitful and will also help us with our submission to Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways consultation to shape the future of New Zealand's science sector.
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Te Ara Paerangi - Future Pathways
The release of Te Ara Paerangi - Future Pathways green paper seeks to investigate how we build our science and research sector for the future.
The Ministry for Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) is seeking consultation from those who work in, or align with, the Research, Science, and Innovation system. They are hosting a series of webinars, and facilitating discussion around specific aspects of Te Ara Paerangi and below is a list of the remaining webinars.
Partners and Stakeholders: 7 December 1:30pm - 3pm or 26 January 9:30am - 11am
The Workforce: 13 December 1:30pm - 3pm
Infrastructure : 13 December 1:30pm - 3pm
Institutions: 10 December 9:30am - 11am
For Early Career Researchers: 7 December 9:30am - 11am
For more information about Te Ara Paerangi and how to make your voice heard, please visit the MBIE website.
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Research Spotlight:
Independence and Housing Tenure
New Zealand used to boast one of the highest rates of home ownership in the western world, though now our owner occupation rates are falling rapidly to levels that prevailed in the 1930s. This movement of people from home ownership to the rental market has significant outcomes for older people and this was investigated by a team led by Dr Kay Saville-Smith, Director of the Centre for Research, Evaluation, and Social Assessment (CRESA).
The Independence and Housing Tenure study investigated the future of older people in an increasingly diverse New Zealand where structural population ageing is taking place at the same time as a housing tenure revolution.
Check out the Life When Renting toolkit and read more about the project in our Research Spotlight on the Independence and Housing Tenure Project here.
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Research Team wins University Medal
Ageing Well wishes to congratulate the team at the James Henare Māori Research Centre for winning the Waipapa Taumata Rau/University of Auckland Research Excellence Medal.
Led by Ageing Well Principal Investigator, Associate Professor Marama Muru-Lanning, the team won the award for numerous research projects centred on the experience of kaumātua and kuia.
Two Ageing Well-funded projects guided by Associate Professor Muru-Lanning were Phase 1 ‘Ngā Kaumātua, ō Mātou Taonga’ – a health feasibility study in Te Tai Tokerau, and Phase 2 ‘Mā mua ka kite a muri; mā muri ka ora a mua’ which investigates intergenerational support for kaumātua health in two Tai Tokerau communities, using a kaupapa Māori approach.
Congratulations to Associate Professor Muru-Lanning and to the team on such a wonderful honour.
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How to Talk to People About Vaccine Hesitancy
During the holiday period you may encounter friends and family who may be hesitant to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Having these tough conversations is important, and a new article published by Research Review New Zealand can help you navigate these.
The article focuses on vaccine misinformation and how it can undermine vaccine confidence and lead to vaccine hesitancy. It provides helpful, evidence-based strategies for countering vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, and it also suggests techniques to support talking to individuals whose hesitancy has resulted from exposure to misinformation. Read the article.
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Researcher Receives Fellowship
We also wish to congratulate Ageing Well researcher Dr Gary Cheung on being chosen as the 2021 Alzheimer's NZ Fellow.
Dr Cheung’s research will focus on analysing existing inteRAI clinical data to understand how the progression of cognitive impairment may be predicted.
Read more about Dr Cheung's Fellowship from Alzheimers NZ.
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Ageing Well Researchers in the Media
- Dr Rosie Gibson (of Ageing Well's AWESSoM Project) appeared on TV1 News commenting on the rise of insomnia during the Delta outbreak.
- Our Strategic Advisory Group member, Professor Stephen Neville, spoke to the NZ Listener about the stigmatisation of older adults.
- Our Governance Group member, Ms Glenis Philip-Barbara, spoke to the the Gisborne Herald about her role as Assistant Māori Commissioner for Children.
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Other News
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Want to share something with us?
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If you have something you'd like to share with us or want to see featured in our next newsletter, please let us know.
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CONTACT US
AGEING WELL NATIONAL SCIENCE CHALLENGE
Department of Anatomy
University of Otago
PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Phone: 03 479 4863
Email: admin.ageingwell@otago.ac.nz
Check out our website for latest news and updates: |
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