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THC Wrap Up
20 August 2020
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This week is Brain Injury Awareness Week #BIAW20. At The Hopkins Centre, over half of our research projects focus on brain injury, so this week is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of finding new ways of working in this complex area. Our partner organisations, our Ambassadors and our talented clinicians and academics are all doing their bit to advance brain injury awareness and rehabilitation.
It has been estimated that over 700,000 Australians already have a brain injury, but it is expected that brain injury will become a global public health concern in the near future. Forecasts suggest that up to 50% of the world’s population will experience a brain injury at some point in their lifetime, either themselves or in their close social network. There is no doubt that we are working in a very important area and it will only gain importance in the future.
As usual, this week makes me think about my own sudden leap into the brain injury world in the 1980s. After living with brain injury in my family, I joined the late Alwyn Ricci and volunteered at what was to become Headway. During the next decade, I met and worked with some of the most heartbroken families. I will never forget most of those families. I still occasionally visit some of them and, invariably, brain injury continues to affect their quality of life. The level of unmet need in the community was and still is, overwhelming.
In 1990, we finally received funding to establish a major brain injury service in Brisbane and I was funded by the Australian Government to research the needs of those with brain injuries. It was an opportunity to highlight the lack of services, the misunderstandings about brain injury, the stigma and loss experienced by so many families. That service continued to grow and is now known as Synapse, one of our valued affiliate research partners. The dedicated staff members at Synapse have been advocating for early intensive intervention, sustained rehabilitation and supportive community services for over three decades.
Our research with Synapse has always played an important role in social change, revealing gaps in brain injury services and informing decision-making, assessment methods and accommodation services. One of our most important joint projects right now is focused on the needs of prisoners with hidden disabilities, including brain injury, FASD, hearing impairment or mental illness. This is a very challenging and under-researched area. We need to deliver better solutions for people with disabilities in prison. There is no area in more urgent need of innovation, but any advances in this area must coalesce with significant rights-based interventions. We cannot continue to just save lives, we must also maximise the opportunity for quality lives following brain injury. We must prevent the negative pathways that lead from brain injury into homelessness, addiction and mental ill--health, corrective services or worse.
During this COVID-19 global pandemic, many people have experienced significant social isolation for the first time. They have experienced the feeling of being vulnerable and uncertain about the future. All too often, this is a daily experience for families who have been touched by brain injury. This Brain Injury Awareness Week, we will be sharing stories from our Ambassadors, describing important brain injury research and showcasing some of the incredible work undertaken by Synapse. Please look out for these stories, follow them and share them to do your bit for awareness of brain injury and a better future for everyone.
Stay tuned to read more about our brain injury research, publications, and partnerships online at www.hopkinscentre.edu.au and on twitter @hopkins_centre.
Professor Elizabeth Kendall
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The Hopkins Centre is excited to announce and congratulate the two winning THC research teams in Australia's first ever Bionics Queensland Challenge, for the best 'next gen' bionic innovation for millions of people living with disabilities.
THC Research Fellow Dr David Painter and team won one of the major prize categories with an artificial intelligence AI-enabled spatial attention assessment and training system. This inspiring innovation, brings together neuroscience, AI and gaming, in a virtual reality platform, with a cognitive prosthetic to assess and treat spatial attention following brain injury. Read more about the project here.
THC Ambassador and founder of Hearoes, Elliot Miller won the “Early Innovation Award” for his incredible bionic ear technology and app. This award will help take Hearoes to the next stage of development in helping those with bionic ears to understand new sounds, build confidence and thrive in the hearing world around them. Learn more about the project here.
  Bionics Queensland Challenge winner announcement Image of Hearoes app, awaking those with
and research video with Dr David Painter about heading loss to new sounds and confidence.
AI Analysis of Cognitive Prosthetic. Download the app at www.hearoes.com.au.
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Congratulations to THC researchers Associate Professor David Trembath and
Dr Camila Shirota in being awarded Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships to progress COVID-19 research.
 Associate Professor David Trembath's research will help people on the autism spectrum and their families stay connected with essential services through the delivery of telehealth. Associate Professor Trembath says his team will work in partnership with Autism Queensland to guide the rapid delivery of telehealth for clients and their families in Queensland.
 Dr Camila Shirota will investigate how technology can help overcome the disruption to rehabilitation and disability support caused by COVID-19. In partnership with rehabilitation experts, technology professionals, and people living with disability, the project team aims to deliver timely solutions to the challenges faced by rehabilitation services in adopting technology solutions in practice and build robust rehabilitation at-a-distance solutions.
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Hear from THC Ambassador and Emergency Doctor Dinesh Palipana OMA on ABC QandA, along with other panellists, discussing the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the state of disaster declared in Victoria and pandemic plans for disability and agenda care sectors.
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Assessing the Disability Needs of Indigenous Prisoners (ADNIP)
The Hopkins Centre is working with Affiliate Partner Synapse, to review the processes for assessing the disability needs of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander prisoners. This national study will examine how disability is identified and assessed in adult Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander prisoners, ex-prisoners who have exited the prison system within the last six month and formerly incarcerated people. It will also examine ways to improve their access to rehabilitation, treatment and employment opportunities. Interviews with corrections staff nationally are soon to be completed, giving the research team a picture of the ways disabilities are identified and managed in prisons. Consultations with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members are ongoing, and will highlight solutions and preferred practices.
Image above: Project cultural advisor Aunty Lauraine Barlow has kindly given permission for the use of her artwork- Wamu Possibilities- as the symbol for the ADNIP project. Aunty Lauraine is a descendant of Mandingalpa Clan, Yidiny tribe and Kulla Kulla Clan, Lama Lama tribe in North Queensland.
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In celebration of National Science Week 2020, The Dignity Project has released its Values and Commitment Statement!
Designed by people with and without disability, following principles of co-design, this document provides operational guidance and transparency for this research, and for other researchers to adapt and implement in the future.
To read or download the Statement, visit
www.hopkinscentre.edu.au/valuesandcommitmentstatement
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Hear from Ambassadors Belinda Adams and Stephen Dale, in the second video in the THC Ambassador series, sharing their stories of brain injury, awareness of brain injury as an 'invisible' injury and vision for the future.
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THC Ambassadors share their experiences this Brain Injury Awareness Week #BIAW
"Awareness for people leaving hospital is vital! It is not just about the rehabilitation services, but more than anything the knowledge that rehabilitation is ongoing. The best advice I received, is that the brain can build new pathways and
to never give up hope."
- Belinda Adams -
Mother, Carer, Budding screen writer and
Advocate for people with disability
"I think the best piece of advice I can give to any personal
family affected by a brain injury, would be to be patient and
most important never to give up!
The statement, 'rehabilitation has no expiry date', is so true. Rehabilitation as “a lifelong task” and I still notice small improvements, many years on from my injury."
- Michelle Owens - GP and Health Administrator
Izak Hollins, an Architect and Research Ambassador, shares his lived experience of brain injury in valuable research with The Hopkins Centre. Following sustaining a traumatic brain injury from a motorbike accident in January 2017, Izak has spoken about his recovery and part of his therapy which supported practice communication through research investigation of how space affects patients recovering from acquired brain injury. Izak connected with The Hopkins Centre when he left hospital and has been working with our research team, combining his experience as a patient in the hospitals and rehabilitation spaces with his knowledge on architecture, to study how spaces can be arranged to promote better rehabilitative outcomes for individuals with a brain injury and more supportive built environment for rehabilitation.
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This Brain Injury Awareness Week 2020 (BIAW), Affiliate Partner Synapse theme is 'Welcome to our World': Social Isolation after Brain Injury.
During the COVID-19 global pandemic many people experienced significant social isolation for the first time. People with brain injury know all about this. All too often this is their day-to-day experience following a brain injury. While life goes on as normal around them, their own social networks can become fractured leaving them feeling forgotten, invisible and alone. This inspired Synapse theme for this year’s BIAW.
Read about the stories from people with brain injury and their families, about what has worked for them in combating the social isolation that everyone else is now better able to understand.
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Learn more about the THC research study featured in Affiliate Partner RACQ Road Ahead magazine, Queensland largest digitally distributed magazine.
Led by Professor Louise Gustafsson, this study aims to identify and find solutions to the challenges people with stroke, traumatic brain injury and spinal injury face when travelling. Click here to read the article
Click here to participate in study
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Seminars & Workshops
NEW How to market your research - before submission and after publication
Tuesday, 25 August 2020, 12:00pm – 1:00pm, online zoom event
NEW National Institutes of Health: Inclusion Across the Lifespan-ll
Thursday September 3, 12.30am - 7.30am, online event
NEW Research for clinicians:Making clinical work your research
Friday September 4, 5pm - 6pm, webinar
NEW Planning inclusively: Approaches to making our communities just for all
Monday September 7, 3pm - 4.30pm, live stream
NEW DSC supported decision making: facilitated choice and control
Monday September 14, 10.30am - 3.30pm
NEW DSC Individual living options (ILO) workshop series
Thursday October 22, 10.30am - 2.30pm
Consumer Engagement Training for QH Staff - Engagement Snack Pack
Every Thursday from July 30, 2020 at 12:00pm - 12.30pm, till the end of August 2020
Researcher Education and Development (RED): Online research survey tool - Lime Survey
Thursday August 20, 10am - 11am
National Science Week Live Stream 'Cohort Innovation Space’
Thursday, 20 August, 5pm - 5:45pm, Online via Zoom Livestream
Researcher Education and Development (RED): Preparing for your literature review
Tuesday August 25, 10am - 11.30am
Office for Research Online Drop-in Sessions
Fortnightly Thursdays at 10am on the Microsoft Teams platform
Click this link to join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Online Disability Awareness Training
Improve your disability awareness with this new online training
Online, anytime HERE
Researcher Education and Development (RED): Endnote Workshop
Registrants to be sent a video recording, worksheets and documents
Future Learn brings a collection of FREE online courses to keep you busy whilst in isolation.
Course collection HERE
Virtual COVID-19 course HERE
Hacky Hour - Research related IT assistance
Every Thursday 2pm - Virtual consults via the website
More information HERE
Conferences
NEW Change 2020
Commencing 17 September 2020, FREE online
Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) Virtual Consultation Workshops
Commencing 11 August 2020, online
The Inaugural Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020
7-11 December 2020, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
Call for Abstracts now open
2020 International Conference on Robotics and Automation
The conference will unfold fully online. All technical papers are featured with 5 to 10 minutes presentation videos supplied by authors.
ARCS Australia: Upcoming webinars
ARCS Australia continue to bring you interesting and informative webinars on a range of health related topics.
AHHA Webinars, Workshops and Training
An array of free online short courses, workshops and a unique webinar series are currently being offered by AHHA across various dates and leading into 2021.
The National Conference for the Disability Sector
25 - 26 November 2020, International Convention Centre Sydney
59th International Spinal Cord Society Annual Scientific Meeting
1 - 5 September 2020, ISCoS 2020 goes virtual
Rehabilitation Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand (RMSANZ)
22-25 September 2020, Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, QLD
ANZSWWER Symposium 2020 - Social Work in a Climate of Change
November 18,19 & 20 2020
8th National Brain Injury Conference by Brain Injury Australia
23-25 November 2020, The University of Sydney, NSW
Call for papers now open and due by 7 August 2020
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Conducting Research with People with Nonverbal Autism: An Inclusive Methodological Approach
Karenne J Hill, Jayne Clapton, Pat Dorsett & Kirsty Andersen
The Impact of Socio-environmental Barriers on the Process of Engagement in Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs
Sepideh Jahandideh, Elizabeth Kendall, Samantha Low-Choy, Kenneth Donald, Rohan Jayasinghe and Ebrahim Barzegari
The effect of access to a designated interdisciplinary post-acute rehabilitation service on participant outcomes after brain injury
David N. Borg, Mandy Nielsen, Areti Kennedy, Christopher Drovandi, Elizabeth Beadle, Jaycie K. Bohan, Kerrin Watter, Michele M. Foster & Jennifer Fleming
Outcomes of a Multidisciplinary Ear Nose and Throat Allied Health Primary Contact Outpatient Assessment Service
Christopher L Payten, Jennifer Eakin, Tamsin Smith, Vicky Stewart, Catherine J Madill and Kelly A Weir
Story Time: Providing early literacy sessions in libraries to preschoolers on the autism spectrum and their parents. Final Report. Brisbane: Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism
Westerveld, M., Paynter, J., Simpson.K. McCartney, D., Hurley, A., & O’Leary, K.
Exploring the Validity and Operational Impact of Using Allied Health Assistants to Conduct Dysphagia Screening for Low-Risk Patients Within the Acute Hospital Setting
Maria Schwarz, Elizabeth C. Ward, Petrea Cornwell, Anne Coccetti, Pamela D'Netto, Aimee Smith and Katharine Morley-Davies
Dysphagia screening using an allied health assistant delegation model: service considerations for implementation
Maria Schwarz, Elizabeth C. Ward, Petrea Cornwell & Anne Coccetti
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National Science Week 2020 is here! Check out the virtual tours, online events, DIY science and
more all across Australia from 15 - 23 August. Click here for more information.
This week, The Royal Commission, is hearing from experiences of people with disability during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. Follow and listen to the proceedings.
Return to campus planning guidelines: These Guidelines aim to complement your institution’s general approach to return to campus and enhance existing resources by ensuring that return-to-campus plans are viewed through a ‘disability lens’.
The results are out on 'The Impact of COVID-19 on health and medical researchers'
Click HERE for more information
Enews July 2020 - Click HERE to subscribe
Explore if your online meetings are accessible.
Complete this free, short online course to ensure your meetings are inclusive and accessible for people with disability. Click here.
Participate and share your experience in research. This research study is focused on helping people with a disability make empowered decisions about being involved in research. Click here to participate in this survey and support inclusion of people with acquired disability as research participants: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9XPHBTT
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PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THC WRAP UP ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE WEBSITE
Please remember if you would like us to showcase your publication or project updates please email through to hopkinscentre@griffith.edu.au by Wednesday of each week.
Please also send through any media you may have to hopkinscentre@griffith.edu.au
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