Acting Minister for Health, the Hon. Alan Tudge Hunt MP, and Minister for Aged Care, Senator Richard Colbeck have announced the Morrison Government is investing $22 million in research into aged care and better outcomes for older Australians, as a part of more than $400 million commitment to world-leading medical research projects aimed at improving the health of Australians.
This includes $5 million under the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Synergy Grant scheme, developing intervention strategies for age-related macular degeneration.
In addition, three grants worth $4.2 million will back research into how frail people can be supported to safely avoid hospitalisations, receive optimal care when admitted and achieve the best health outcomes through integrated and coordinated in-and post-hospital support.
In 2017, more than one in every seven Australians were aged 65 or over. That equates to 3.8 million people – an important and growing part of our community who may benefit from this research.
Minister Tudge said, “The Government is investing in research to improve the health of older Australians.”
“We want to help older Australians reduce the need to be hospitalised and have better care through their journey.”
Eighteen grants have been funded across Australia, with a diverse range of research supported across the schemes.
Minister Colbeck said, “The health and welfare of older Australians is a priority for the Morrison Government.”
“This latest allocation of funding contributes to ensuring the needs of the elderly will be met, now and into the future.
“It is another step forward toward more tangible support, and serves as reassurance for families of our most vulnerable senior Australians.”
The Morrison Government will continue its commitment to supporting lifesaving medical research with a $5 billion 10-year investment plan from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
This 10-year plan builds on $3.5 billion in health and medical research funding provided through the National Health and Medical Research Council, and the $500 million Biomedical Translation Fund.
This investment in health and medical research will place Australia at the leading edge of research in areas like genomics, and will support the search for cures and treatments including for rare cancers.
A full list of grant recipients is available on NHMRC’s website.
Details of the grants highlighted above are:
| Grant Type | CIA Name | Administering Institution | Grant Title | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synergy Grants | Prof Robyn Guymer | Centre for Eye Research Australia | A pathway to translation: uncovering novel causes, genetic associations and potential intervention strategies for age related macular degeneration | $5,000,000 |
| Targeted Call for Research into Frailty in Hospital Care | Prof Sarah Hilmer | University of Sydney | Optimising quality use of medicines in hospital to improve outcomes in frail older people | $1,200,390 |
| Targeted Call for Research into Frailty in Hospital Care | Prof Susan Kurrle | University of Sydney | The FORTRESS Study (Frailty Older People Rehabilitation Treatment Research Examining Separate Settings) | $1,470,000 |
| Targeted Call for Research into Frailty in Hospital Care | Prof Ruth Hubbard | University of Queensland | The GOAL Trial: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for Frail Older People with Chronic Kidney Disease to Increase Attainment of Patient-Identified Goals: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial | $1,508,908 |
| Administering Institution | Grant Title | Amount Committed ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute | The Role of Myocardial Disease in Phenotypes of Cardiac Ageing | 108,852 |
| University of Sydney | Standard de-prescribing information for the regulator approved product information (PI) | 113,963 |
| James Cook University | Long term risk and protective factors for dementia and cognitive impairment among Indigenous Australians in the Torres Strait and Cape York | 90,047 |
| University of Technology Sydney | Improving Mealtime Safety and Enjoyment for Adults with Swallowing Disorders: Focus on Food Design | 85,597 |
| Flinders University | The Social and Commercial Determinants of Alcohol Consumption for Middle-Aged Australian Women | 113,963 |
| Centre for Eye Research Australia | A pathway to translation: uncovering novel causes, genetic associations and potential intervention strategies for age related macular degeneration | 5,000,000 |
| Monash University | Sedation Practice in Intensive Care Evaluation in Older ventilated Critically Ill patients; Early Sedation with Dexmedetomidine in Older Ventilated Critically Ill Patients. A Randomised Double Blind Placebo Controlled Trial – SPICE IV | 4,946,136 |
| Macquarie University | Measuring national productivity impacts of chronic ill health on patients and carers and the potential benefits of health and policy interventions. | 1,028,940 |
| University of Sydney | Endothelial Cell Senescence and Alzheimer’s Disease | 905,360 |
| Monash University | A new approach to disinvestment: Application to falls prevention mobilisation alarms | 1,122,136 |
| Queensland University of Technology | An Inter-generational Learning and Living Campus: A New Model for Healthy Senior Living and Integrated School Communities across Urban and Regional Australia | 1,156,152 |
| University of Sydney | Targeting a novel pathogenic glia-neuronal pathway in retinal diseases | 859,200 |
| University of New South Wales | Cochlear purinergic adaptation as a biomarker for vulnerability to noise-induced hearing loss | 1,435,100 |
| Edith Cowan University | Automated methods for evaluating structural vascular disease | 467,980 |
| University of Sydney | Optimising quality use of medicines in hospital to improve outcomes in frail older people | 1,200,390 |
| University of Sydney | The FORTRESS Study (Frailty Older People Rehabilitation Treatment Research Examining Separate Settings) | 1,470,000 |
| University of Queensland | The GOAL Trial: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for Frail Older People with Chronic Kidney Disease to Increase Attainment of Patient-Identified Goals: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial | 1,508,908 |
| TOTAL | 21,612,727 |
