Federal funding to help improve the wellbeing of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Published on Monday, 1 November 2021 at 10:00:00 AM

Research to improve the health and wellbeing of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people received funding of $2.5 million from the National Health and Medical Research Council Centres of Research Excellence (NHMRC).

Professor Dawn Bessarab from The University of Western Australia’s Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health and her team will lead the Centre of Research Excellence, the Good Spirit Good Life: Better health and wellbeing for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

This Centre is the first in Australia to explore Indigenous ageing. The team will develop their research with and from the perspective of Aboriginal people, to better understand ageing well in older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Centre will inform culturally secure aged care services.

UWA's Vice-Chancellor Professor Amit Chakma congratulated Professor Bessarab and the researchers, who are working on projects critical to improving health and wellbeing in the community. “Research such as this is vital to keeping us at the forefront of discovering health and medical solutions for those with serious health conditions,” Professor Chakma said.

“Many people will live better and longer lives, and we will know and understand more. That knowledge and understanding can lead in many directions. This is important and exciting work.”  Professor Dawn Bessarab will be supported by Dr Kate Smith and other collaborators from around Australia.

NHMRC funding from the Federal Government aims to support research that will improve health outcomes and benefit communities in Australia and around the world.

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