RPH Research Foundation Supports CONNECT 50+ Healthy Ageing for Midlife and Beyond

The RPH Research Foundation recently attended the Connect Victoria Park Open Day, where Professor Anne-Marie Hill from the University of Western Australia and her team recruited participants for their new research program, ‘CONNECT 50+ Healthy Ageing for Midlife and Beyond’.

Thanks to funding from the RPH Research Foundation 2022 Springboard Plus Grant, the team will run a 12-week wellness program that aims to promote healthy ageing for recently hospitalised older people by implementing community health programs.

The program consists of an evidence-based exercise program, psychosocial strategies, and a range of wellness activities such as line-dancing, choir singing, and creative writing that are hosted by the Connect Village Hub. The CONNECT 50+ program has the potential to improve the quality of life of older adults and reduce the burden on Australia's healthcare system.

Professor Anne-Marie Hill and her team are working with the Connect Village Hub to develop a sustainable community model for preventive health and wellbeing that can be easily accessible in the local community for older adults living with chronic diseases. This can improve individual older adults’ independence and well-being, and has the potential to reduce Australia’s growing health system demand through sustainable, preventive community models.  

The team began their work with a novel community-hub-based wellness program, CONNECT60+, designed during the COVID-19 pandemic to address healthy ageing. There was overwhelming support from community-hub members who engaged in the program, which consisted of a physical activity program, social activities, and wellness activities. The participants showed promising changes in health and wellness.

The team are now building on this work with a pilot randomized trial to determine the feasibility of the intervention for delivery for people aged 50+ years experiencing chronic disease recently discharged from hospital.

Connect 50+ is recruiting participants that fit the below criteria:

• Aged 50 years or older

• Have been diagnosed with a chronic disease (such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or arthritis)

• Have been in hospital in the past three months

• Are willing to monitor your physical activity using a smartwatch and attend an exercise and wellness group at CONNECT Victoria Park (5 Mackie Street)

• Can arrange your own transport to CONNECT Victoria Park

• Can walk independently with or without a walking aid

Interested participants can contact Dr Chiara Naseri (chiara.naseri@uwa.edu.au or 0409 570 448) to find out more about the study. 

The RPH Research Foundation is proud to support this important research and looks forward to seeing the results of the pilot trial.