1. health and fitness

Potential research areas and topics – COTA ACT 2015
General parameters
Scope: since this research will be undertaken by volunteers, the scope of each project should
be fairly narrow if possible (minimising volunteer time and effort and also the need for the
policy officer to help in managing research). There may be potential for volunteers to work
together on a topic if they are interested and willing. There is also some opportunity for
volunteers to do joint project work with the Policy Officer.
Synthesis/desk research: most projects will need some preparatory research, to define what
the issues are, what existing information is around, and what the gaps are. This can usually be
done on the internet or by discussing the project with staff from relevant organisations. The
aim will be to obtain information which is available for free or at low cost.
Collaboration: sometimes research topics fall into areas covered by other community
organisations – for instance Shelter ACT covers housing advocacy and research, Healthcare
Consumers ACT covers health, ADACAS works in the elder abuse area. In these cases
projects might involve liaison and joint work with those organisations.
Quantitative information:
The first step is always to check what existing data is available (preferably for free).
Organisations holding relevant data include the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare, and …
If there’s no existing data, the only way to get quantitative information is usually a survey.
Surveys are burdensome (especially if people are getting surveyed a lot by different
organisations/on different topics) and it can be hard to get enough respondents. So if a survey
is under consideration, we need to consider combining topics (ie gathering data on more than
one issue) how important this topic is to us, and whether there are other ways of getting
useful information.
Qualitative information: if the project involves gathering information from people by
interviewing them or holding a focus group or meeting, the researcher will need some
facilitative skills and to be aware of sensitivities, ethical considerations etc (they may also
need a Working with Vulnerable People card).
POTENTIAL TOPICS
Elder abuse
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What we know: Baseline Survey in 2011 identified around 6% of respondents had
experienced some type of elder abuse. ACT government abuse hotline appears
ineffective-few calls – but organisations like ADACAS report many incidents.
What we don’t know: true incidence of elder abuse in ACT (or nationally).
Qualitative issues around elder abuse in ACT/nationally.
What we need to know: how much of it is there, who does it happen to, who does it,
what type of abuse is it, why does it happen, what is the lived experience of the
people who are abused, what do they or others involved see as potential solutions?
Limitations/sensitivities: people experiencing elder abuse may be unable or unwilling
to discuss it, or hard to contact. Any contact with victims needs to be very sensitive,
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given their vulnerability (so special skills may be required). Statistical data may be
difficult to locate or unavailable.
Possible research topics: issues paper bringing together current data
(quantitative/qualitative) on elder abuse in ACT, identifying gaps.
Qualitative/quantitative research on incidence & issues in ACT using (eg) surveys,
interviews (with individuals or organisations), focus groups.
Housing
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What we know: homelessness or marginal homelessness among older people in the
ACT is a significant and growing issue. The Commonwealth has reduced funding to
organisations assisting the homeless, and the National Rental Affordability Scheme
has been de-funded. Rental stress, affordable retirement options and Mr Fluffy owners
are also concerns.
What we don’t know: data on the extent of marginal homelessness and rental stress
for older people and difficulty affording/locating retirement housing (as far as I
know). Qualitative info on the experience of elderly Mr Fluffy owners on (eg)
transferring into aged care, accessing home care services, etc.
What we need to know: what are the housing options for older people retiring from
work in the ACT, how affordable are they, what proportion of older people are facing
housing difficulties, what is the lived experience of this? What are the issues facing
elderly Mr Fluffy owners.
Limitations/sensitivities: gathering existing data is the best option for quantitative
research in this area, but if it’s not available, we would need to collect it. This can be
difficult as surveys are not cheap and people are generally ‘over-surveyed’.
Identifying elderly Mr Fluffy owners relies on ACT government data being provided.
Possible research topics: issues and impacts for elderly Mr Fluffy owners; research
synthesis & gap analysis of data on housing issues for older people in the ACT;
qualitative info (eg forum, focus groups, interviews) on housing stress for older
people in ACT.
Health
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What we know:
o access to palliative care is unsufficient.
o Transport to health-related appointments (including eg physio, hydrotherapy,
etc) can be an issue (anecdotal).
o Access to health care in residential aged care facilities is inadequate, leading
to inappropriate hospital admissions (anecdotal).
o Chronic disease management may be an issue (eg there may not be adequate
access to pain management, self-management guidance and allied health
providers).
o Medicine hoarding & misuse is an issue: funding has just been cut to a
program assisting people to dispose of unwanted medicines.
o Access to preventative health is important to our members.
What we don’t know: unmet demand for health care in RACFs & rate of resultant
hospital admissions; identification of health care issues & priorities for older people
living in the community; issues, problems and needs of people suffering chronic
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health problems in the community/RACFs; extent of health issues related to medicine
management in the ACT.
What we need to know: what are the priority needs and concerns of older people
living in the community, in terms of health care? What are the actual figures on access
to health care & hospital admissions in RACFs? Do people with chronic health issues
have access to adequate self-management information and treatment? What are the
issues around medicine hoarding and misuse?
Limitations/sensitivities: data on health care in RACFs may be unavailable or
unobtainable (eg held by RACFs). Information on medicine misuse and hoarding
issues in the ACT is probably unavailable currently.
Possible research topics: health priorities and concerns for older people living in the
community; perceptions of access to health care by RACF residents or their families;
experiences of people with chronic health conditions; literature review on medicine
use issues among older people; self-management resources available for people with
chronic conditions and awareness of them.
Aged care
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What we know: the aged system is undergoing major change. Both providers and
clients (eg people going into aged care/using home care services) are confused and
worried.
What we don’t know: the extent of people’s awareness and understanding of the
changes in the ACT?
What we need to know: to what extent do people understand the system, are people
having problems, what are the issues, what needs to be done to address them?
Limitations/sensitivities: aged care is funded by the Commonwealth, not the ACT
government. However the ACT Government is involved through the hospital system,
the ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team), local service providers, etc. Researchers
need to understand who does what.
Possible research topics: qualitative data on people’s awareness, understanding and
experiences of moving into aged care and accessing home care services – could be
collected through survey, focus group.
Transport
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What we know: almost half the respondents to a COTA survey in 2013 on transport
identified that they had some difficulties getting places. There is high demand among
non-drivers for flexible transport options (like community transport) but low
availability.
What we don’t know: what is the extent of unmet demand for flexible transport? What
would people be prepared to pay for it? Could this demand (eg if attitudes shifted,
changes were made or help was provided) be met by public transport? What are the
issues in diverse communities (do people know the options? Can they access them?)
What we need to know: as above
Limitations/sensitivities: community service organisations are the main providers of
flexible transport & they don’t collect (much or any) data on unmet demand – ie who
wanted it but couldn’t get it. The best approach to collecting some of the above
information would be in collaboration with a CSO, but their resources are stretched
and some data may be sensitive.
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Potential research topics: COTA developed a ‘Guide to Getting Around in Canberra’
which is currently being distributed, and it would be good to have feedback on this in
mid-2015, with a view to re-developing/re-publishing it. Qualitative feedback (eg
through group interviews) with members of diverse communities about access to
transport options.
Employment and unemployment
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What we know: anecdotally, there is considerable discrimination/bias against older
people in both the public and private sectors in the ACT and nationally. Getting a job
or promotion can become difficult as people age.
What we don’t know: the extent of ageism in the ACT, the impact on people, where
it’s occurring, why (as perceived by the person experiencing it and by the
perpetrators).
What we need to know: how big an issue is it for people in the ACT? What agegroups are most affected? Genders? Cultural backgrounds? What are the
perceived/actual reasons? Are any of the preventive strategies effective? What might
help?
Limitations/sensitivities: there would be some data available eg on
employment/unemployment in the ACT but likely to be broad indicator. Public
service ostensibly run on ‘merit’ principle. Individuals with concerns may not want to
be identified (eg in case studies, reports).
Potential research topics: case studies of people affected by ageism in the ACT public
service/and or private sector; best practice strategies used by employers in the ACT;
synthesis of available current research data on ageism and employment in the ACT.
Ageism and ethnicity in the ACT.
Energy
What we know: energy costs are rising. These costs can hit older people on a low or fixed
income badly. COTA Australia conducted a survey in 2013 which provides some data on
energy use and attitudes of older people in the ACT.
What we don’t know: CHECK ACT RESULTS OF SURVEY
Market research
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What we know: COTA membership numbers have fallen slightly in recent years, but
COTA relies on its membership/community base to be able to reflect community
views and influence government. Membership is also a significant proportion of
COTA funding, especially in the policy area.
What we don’t know: why people become members of COTA, why they don’t, what
they want from an organisation like COTA, what would influence them to join?
What we need to know: how to provide better value for money to existing members
and demonstrate it to potential members.
Limitations/sensitivities: research in this area would need to be overseen by the
COTA Board, as it’s a key input to management direction. Experience in market
research design would be a plus.
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Possible research topics: a survey of members on reasons for joining, perceived value,
etc; focus groups with older community members on how an organisation like COTA
adds/should add value and what would influence them to join and pay membership
fees.
Age-friendly communities
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COTA ACT will be seeking feedback from older residents of Ainslie and Weston in
the first half of 2015 on the ‘age-friendliness’ of their suburbs, under a project funded
by the ACT government. The project will be undertaken in collaboration with a range
of community groups.
As part of the project, COTA will need to undertake coordination, some survey
design, analysis of feedback received, and maybe some interviewing of either
individuals (eg in shopping centres) or groups (eg at forums).
Possible tasks assisting the project: survey design, feedback analysis and reporting,
soliciting & recording feedback in public venues, assisting in running events or
forums. These would be undertaken jointly with the Policy Officer, who will be
running this project.