State Divisions
Tasmania Division
Up and Coming Events
The Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG) is hosting its 43rd National Conference in Hobart, Tasmania, from Wednesday 17th to Friday 19th November 2010.
In keeping with the location, the conference theme will be 'Islands of Ageing: Building bridges for people, policy and practice'.
The conference is particularly looking for papers that examine the challenges of disconnection that occur not only through the individual ageing process, and for older people as a group within the community, but also between researchers, practitioners and policy makers, national state and local bureaucracies, and professions from different disciplinary backgrounds involved in the care and support of older people.
This will be a conference with a positive focus on
examining ways for making connections and building bridges and will
provide opportunities for presenters from every sector: older people,
researchers, practitioners, bureaucrats and policy makers. More information on registering to take part in this conference is at www.aagconference.com
Previous Events
May 2010
March 2010
November 2009
(Above) Gary Andrew Visiting Fellow: Professor George Rebok, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, John Hopkins University, with AAG Tasmania President Janet Carty
To see a copy of George Reboks Presentation click here........
Our final symposium for 2009 was held on the 30th November at the CCAMLR building in Hobart. The program was headed by Professor George Rebok from the Department of Mental Health, John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland USA. Prof. Rebok, who was in Australia as the AAG 2009 travelling fellow, has a background in gerontology, developmental psychology, prevention science and public mental health. His major research interests centre on the preservation of cognitive health in later life as a factor in successful ageing. Prof Rebok reported on the Baltimore Experience Corps program (http://www.experiencecorps.org/cities/baltimore/ ) which places groups of older people as high commitment volunteers into schools in the Baltimore district working with years K-3. Volunteers 60 years and over commit to at least 15 hours per week across the full school year of high intensity, high impact involvement in the life of the school in academic and behavioural support roles that may vary from pastoral care to running the school library. Volunteers are paid a small stipend. Prof Rebok is part of a team that has been researching and evaluating the outcomes of this program with very encouraging results for both the schools and the volunteers. Volunteers show increased levels of activity, social engagement and social support and improvements in cognitive function while children in these predominantly low socio-economic participating schools show both academic and behavioural gains. This is a model that could fit as well in the Australian context.
The supporting presentation was made by Dr Peter Orpin on behalf of the team, led by Prof. Judi Walker, conducting an ARC Linkage Grant funded study into the age-related challenges and changes to social engagement among older people living in rural areas. The preliminary findings of this study have identified a range of factors which effect rural older people’s ability to remain engaged and useful members of their communities and is now working with industry partners (HACC and TasCOSS) to find service and policy responses that will help to preserve older rural residents ability to choose their level of continuing social engagement regardless of the challenges and loses associated with ageing. Anyone requiring further information on this project can contact either Prof Judi Walker ( Judith.Walker@utas.edu.au ) Dr Peter Orpin (Peter.Orpin@utas.edu.au) or Dr Hazel Baynes (Hazel.Baynes@utas.edu.au) .
September 09
July 09
2008
13 March 2008
See flyer for details
2007
The Australian Association of Gerontology present Professor Christopher Phillipson as their 2007 RM Gibson Travelling Fellow.
Come and join the
Tasmanian Division
of the
Australian Association of Gerontology!!!
|
Thursday 16 November |
Friday 17 November |
For more information and RSVP please ring Debra Visser on 03 6324 3458 and see here...