Ben Fox
Measuring physical activity and functional performance in institutionalised adults with dementia
Award
2012 AADRF PhD Scholarship
Status
Completed
Start Date
1 May 2013
About the project
Our pilot work has demonstrated that measures of functional ability, currently employed by researchers are, perhaps, inappropriate for use in a population of older adults residing in residential aged care with a diagnosis of dementia. This is a paramount issue because if measures are inappropriate, researchers cannot have confidence in their findings from interventions, as it would be impossible to ascertain whether the results were because of true changes or because of poor measurement tools. Clinicians would have no confidence in the accuracy of these measures either.
From this pilot work, further research is needed and a larger project has been planned. Currently, a review of relevant literature is being undertaken to identify all functional ability measures used within exercise interventions. A second review of literature is planned, in order to assess whether these measures have been tested for their appropriateness and suitability in this and similar populations, in particular older adults with cognitive impairment.
Publications and presentations resulting from award
Fox, B., Henwood, T., Neville, C., & Keogh, J. 2014. Relative and absolute reliability of functional performance measures for adults with Dementia living in residential aged care. International Psychogeriatrics.
Fox, BB,. & Hodgkinson, B. 2013. The effects of physical exercise for older adults, aged 65 years and older, with a diagnosis of dementia: A systematic review protocol. The JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 11, (7): 414–421.
Fox, B., Henwood, T., & Neville, C. 2013. Reliability of functional performance in older people with dementia. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 32: 248-249
Conference Presentations
Fox, B. (2013, November). Measuring Functional Performance in Dementia Research. Oral Presentation at a meeting of the Emerging Researchers in Ageing Conference 2013, Sydney, NSW.
Fox, B., Henwood, T., Neville, C., Keogh, J. (2013, November) Reliability of functional performance in dementia research: A pilot investigation. Oral Presentation at a meeting of the Australian Association of Gerontology National Conference 2013. Sydney, NSW.
Fox, B. (2013, October). Reliability of functional performance in dementia research: A pilot investigation. Oral presentation at a meeting of the Uniting Care Queensland Conference, Brisbane, QLD.
Where are they now?
Ben is due to finalised and complete his PhD Thesis over the next year.
Ben was also recently interviewed for our Podcast.
