Current HOPE Foundation News - April - May 2009

I noted a couple of newsletters ago that some people complain that the results of research often take a long time to effect changes. There is truth in the claim; but, as the old song says: it ain’t necessarily so. In our last newsletter, we reported the results of a study done on the Foundation’s behalf in which
a researcher, Lisa Stewart, explored the progress District Health Boards (DHBs) were making towards implementing the government’s Health of Older People Strategy. Only two years remain of the eight the Boards were given to fully implement it.

Lisa discovered that there was considerable variation in the progress the DHBs were making. She also found that most of their senior administrators had an inflated idea of what they had achieved with the Strategy. Most interesting of all, she discovered that one of the Boards made no mention whatsoever of a plan to implement the Strategy in its Annual District Plan, despite the fact that it serviced the oldest population in the country.

This finding was seized on by the major newspaper of the region. It asked some very searching questions of the DHB. The latter’s response was not particularly convincing. A spokesperson talked of a number of “pilot programmes that had been trialled”, but a Community Support spokesperson responded that the Board had made promises of working parties to work on a range of things that had never materialized. The slow progress was “frustrating and disappointing.”

In this case, research put a spotlight on a situation that clearly needs to be rectified. The Foundation plans a further review in mid 2010. Hopefully it will show that the Boards are doing a whole lot better. Although we are disappointed that our research turned up negative findings we do believe that in the long run it will have stimulated positive outcomes.

Vive research!

2009 SCHOLARSHIPS

It gives The Foundation great pleasure to be able to offer $4,000 to Scholars to enable them to undertake full time graduate studies in any area of ageing. Normally four awards are made to students in Auckland,
Wellington and Dunedin.This year there were no applicants from Wellington. For the first time since the inception of the Scheme there is an extra Scholarship which has not been allocated.

Ruth Allen

A number of factors are taken into consideration in awarding the Scholarships. These include the scholarly record of the applicant and the relationship of the proposal to the objectives of the Foundation. The way the study contributes to understanding of ageing in NZ and the scholarly reputation of the applicant’s supervisor/s and department or school are also considered.

As in former years, Professor Richmond convened our Selection Committee which comprises Drs Geoff Green and Joanna Broad. Once again we express appreciation to them for their expertise. For the first time since the awards commenced in 2004, one of the universities has chosen to action its own selection committee. The Foundation was invited to send representatives to meet with The University of Auckland Assistant Deans of the Faculty of

Carissa Murrell

Science and the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences to consider the Auckland applications. Two awards were made in Auckland from a total of seven applicants. They were Ruth Allen and Narisa Marrett.

Ruth Allen

Ruth, along with Carissa Murrell (Otago) has had her Scholarship awarded for a second year of PhD study. This year she will continue her focus on “Exploring support for childless New Zealanders
ageing in place”.

Carissa is now in her 3rd year of support from The Foundation assessing the Carissa Murrell “Influence of age and physical activity on the control of cerebral bloodflow”.

Narisa Marrett (Auckland) commences her PhD in the field of “Effects of ageing on visual perception and attention”.

MarieHull-Brown

BOARD MEMBER HONOURED

We are delighted to acknowledge the New Year Honour bestowed upon Marie Hull-Brown, a member of our Board since 2001. Marie is the Nominee of Age Concern Auckland and a wonderful example of the contribution which many older people make to our society. Although Marie “retired” twenty-one years ago at the age of 60, she works four days a week as the Project Manager, Older Mental Health at the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand!

2009 SUMMER STUDENTS

One of the most encouraging ways in which the Foundation uses your gifts, is to stimulate undergraduates by funding them to spend a summer vacation in full time research. Each student receives $4,000. This jump-start into research can often lead to a lifelong interest in research in ageing.

This year we were grateful to receive a gift of $2,000 from the Nolan Charitable Trust towards the funding of one of the 2009 Summer Studentships.

Amanda Siu was a 3rd year medical student with a specific interest in the effects of osteoporosis on New Zealand society. This is a serious health condition and the financial and health burden is a significant issue for the health sector and the taxpayer in New Zealand. Her summer project was “Validation of two calculators of fracture risk in healthy New Zealand post-menopausal women”. Under the supervision of Dr Mark Bolland of the School of Medicine her purpose was to find a suitable model for evaluating fracture risk in NZ and to encourage the health system to take initiative in promoting prevention strategies for osteoporotic fractures.

Emma Macdonald-Laurs was a 2nd year medical student and her project “Predicting functional recovery following cardiac surgery”. Her supervisor was Professor Keith Petrie of the Department of Psychological Medicine. As coronary artery bypass graft surgery and valve replacement surgery are the two most common cardiac procedures in NZ, improvement of patient outcome is desirable.

Joan-Mary Longcroft

FRIENDS MEMBERSHIP

The Friends of The Foundation was launched at Government House in November 2005 and many of our Friends became members at that time. Thank you for your ongoing commitment and support since then.
The Friends Committee, chaired by Joan-Mary Longcroft, QSM, plans at least one annual fund-raising event to which Friends are specifically invited each year. They also host an end of year reception at which
Friends are updated about the events of the Foundation. We thank Judith Ray for her contribution over the years. She has recently retired as Secretary of the Committee and Leonie Lawson has taken on that role. Judith will continue her involvement with the Foundation as her husband Richard is on our Board.

HOPE FOUNDATION FEATURED IN NORTH AND SOUTH MAGAZINE

An excellent account of the present and future housing and accommodation needs of ageing people, notably the ‘baby boomers’, has appeared in the May issue of North and South. It covers both local options and several interesting overseas models of care. The role of the HOPE Foundation in sponsoring research on ageing is noted, together with comments from its Chair, Professor David Richmond on the importance of recognising the ageing of the population as one of the most significant challenges to our society in the future. Well worth a read.