2004-2005 Scholars

Posted by on 2 January 2005

The Hope Foundation has much pleasure in announcing the 2004-2005 Scholars

2004 and 2005 Rana Sobh - University of Auckland

The role of possible selves in motivating behaviour; an application to women's concerns with facial wrinkles.

Rana, formerly of Tunisia, was a part-time Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Marketing.  Her research  focus was on women's motivation and behaviour in relation to signs of facial wrinkles.  Rana conducted in-depth interviews with 500 women aged between 25 and 60, and 120 women took part in an experiment to finalise her research into women's self-esteem.  

In 2002 she received an award from the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy for the proposal with the greatest contribution to marketing knowledge.

2004 and 2005 - Shared Scholarship awarded to Kathryn Peri - University of Auckland

Promoting independent living

As a Research Fellow/Lecturer in the School of Nursing, Kathy's research was undertaken in the School of Nursing in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.

The proposed study established the effectiveness of intervention in increasing function in older people living in residential care and ascertained how to construct the milieu of success for increased function for older people living in residential care. 

Four to five rest homes were invited to participate in the study, the aim being to have a final sample size of 88 residents.

A Master of Health Science and a PhD student in Nursing, Kathryn was the Gerontology Nurse of the Year in 2002 in recognition of her work with older people. She also received the Primary Health Care Scholarship.

2004 and 2005 - Shared Scholarship awarded to Elizabeth Kiata-Holland - University of Auckland

Promoting independence in residential care

About 5% of older people live in long term residential care facilities but there is little understanding about how older people themselves make sense of their lives when living in long term residential care. The study aimed to redress that gap and promote independence and the interaction of residents and staff.

A Master of Arts, Elizabeth was based in the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.  In her research she explored the ways that older people living in residential care facilities in New Zealand live their everyday lives and the way they interact with other residents and staff.

2004 - Kathryn Glasgow Victoria University Wellington

How will the baby boomer generations act as they reach older age?

The research sought to explore the defining characteristics of Kiwi baby boomers, including their attitudes and expectations about life in older age, and the implications for future planning and policy development.

Studying for an MA (Appl) Social Science Research, Kathryn undertook her research in the School of Social and Cultural Studies.

In March 2005, just before her report was published, Kathy wrote to the HOPE Foundation:-

"The Scholarship I received in 2004 was extremely helpful, providing me with not just much-needed financial support, but equally important giving me the encouragement I needed to return to study and to focus that study on positive ageing research.  I commend those involved in establishing the HOPE Foundation and developing and implementing the objectives, and I very much hope that scholarships will continue to be made available to students involved in research.  Such awards really can make all the difference.  As a mature student with competing family responsibilities and commitments this support was critical.  Furthermore the HOPE Foundation successfully sends a message to emerging researchers that positive ageing is a valued area of research and an important area worth pursuing."

2005 - Arnica Wesley-James - Victoria University Wellington

What do we mean when we identify a group as "aged”?

Arnica has a BA and was in the School of Social and Cultural Studies. 

Her emphasis was to gain an understanding of what we mean when we identify a group as "aged" and to develop an insider's knowledge of ageing from the aged themselves.

2004 and 2005 - Kamali Pugazhenthi - University of Otago

Wound healing

The research was undertaken in the Wound Healing Research Unit and aimed at discovering new drugs and mechanisms that can enhance wound healing. Wound healing is a challenge to the patient, the health care professional and the health care system. Intensive treatment is required and this imparts an enormous burden on society in terms of lost productivity and health care dollars. It has been stated that approximately 4% of patients with non-healing wounds were responsible for 80% of the total cost of care of all patients.

A PhD student and an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, in the Faculty of Medicine, Kamalavalli was a Lecturer at the University of Madras before coming to New Zealand.