Rachel Quigley

What is the focus of the research?

Developing a culturally appropriate “ageing well” framework to reduce the risk of dementia in First Nations communities in the Torres Strait.

What will the travel grant achieve?

First Nations Australians are 3-5 times more likely to develop dementia and at an earlier age than the general population. Yet there aren’t any prevention strategies or models of care specific to their communities. Dr Quigley is working with Elders, families and community to strengthen culturally grounded models of healthy ageing, dementia prevention and dementia care in First Nations communities.

Dr Quigley will strengthen her global First Nations research network by building partnerships with collaborators in North America who also work in Indigenous dementia research. She will also visit a world-renowned “dementia village” to gain insights into person-centred, community-led dementia care options relevant to remote communities. Dr Quigley will present her work in Amsterdam, gain feedback and learn from leading global researchers in healthy ageing and dementia risk reduction.

What could it mean for First Nations communities?

• Better, more culturally aligned dementia care models.
• Stronger research that reflects community priorities.
• Improved dementia prevention and healthy ageing strategies grounded in local cultural contexts and community voices.

Dr Quigley is a senior research fellow with the Healthy Ageing Research Team at James Cook University and an advanced physiotherapist in gerontology at the Cairns Hospital.