Reminiscence therapy - 2021

This talk will explore Reminiscence Therapy, a form of treatment which aims to enhance the wellbeing of older adults through reviewing past experiences, challenges, and successes. Presented in July 2021.</p

Reminiscence therapy - 2018

This talk will explore reminiscence therapy, a form of treatment which aims to enhance the wellbeing of older adults through reviewing past experiences, challenges, and successes.</p

Effective approaches for supporting the mental health of older people in residential aged care

No description supplied</p

Reminiscence therapy - 2019

Presented by Professor Sunil Bhar, this seminar explores Reminiscence Therapy, a form of treatment which aims to enhance the wellbeing of older adults through reviewing past experiences, challenges, and successes.</p

Treatment of Depression and Suicide in Older Adults

This article describes a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) intervention for suicide prevention in older adults. Although many studies have found that CBT interventions are efficacious for reducing depressive symptoms in the elderly, researchers have yet to evaluate the efficacy of such interventions for preventing suicide or reducing suicide risk in older adults. In this article we describe a 12-session CBT protocol for reducing depression, suicide ideation, and other risk factors of late-life suicide. The following aspects of the treatment are described: assessing suicide risk, conceptualizing the problem through a cognitive behavioral framework, developing a safety plan, increasing hope and reasons for living, improving social resources, improving problem-solving skills and efficacy, improving adherence to medical regimen, and relapse prevention. In addition, we review other behavioral and cognitive strategies such as activity scheduling and cognitive restructuring that are commonly associated with CBT interventions for depression. We illustrate the application of these strategies through the use of case examples

Supplementary tables for the paper 'Goodness-of-fit statistics for logistic regression models'

Supplementary tables 1-5 for the paper 'Goodness-of-fit statistics for logistic regression models'.</p

SPSS dataset of international students

Dataset contains statistical information about 138 study participants, collected in 2009. Participants were enrolled at an Australian university as an international student and were 18 years or older.</p

Self-esteem and suicide ideation in psychiatric outpatients

Depression, hopelessness, and low self-esteem are implicated as vulnerability factors for suicide ideation. The association of self-esteem with suicide ideation after controlling for depressed mood and hopelessness was examined. Adult psychiatric outpatients (N = 338) completed measures of self-esteem, suicide ideation, hopelessness, and depression. Self-esteem was operationalized as beliefs about oneself (self-based self-esteem) and beliefs about how other people regard oneself (other-based self-esteem). Each dimension of self-esteem was negatively associated with suicide ideation after controlling for depression and hopelessness. Of the two dimensions of self-esteem, other-based self-esteem was the more robust predictor of suicide ideation. These findings suggest that even in the context of depression and hopelessness, low self-esteem may add to the risk for suicide ideation

Ethel Swinburne Society Event - Swinburne Looking Forward

The Ethel Swinburne Society was established to recognise those Swinburne alumni (and any others) who have notified the University of their decision to leave funds to Swinburne in their will. This is the seventh annual meeting of the Society and this year we will feature an "In Conversation" piece between Belinda Collins, Director, Development and the new Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pascale Quester. We will also be joined by Professor of Psychology, Dr Sunil Bhar, who is the Director of the Wellbeing Clinic for Older Adults at Swinburne University. Sunil will share insights into his work delivering mental health programs via telehealth to Australians in residential aged care, through the COVID pandemic.</p

Investigating the impact of hearing aid use and auditory training on cognition, depressive symptoms, and social interaction in adults with hearing loss: Protocol for a crossover trial

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit among older adults. Some of the psychosocial consequences of this condition include difficulty in understanding speech, depression, and social isolation. Studies have shown that older adults with hearing loss show some age-related cognitive decline. Hearing aids have been proven as successful interventions to alleviate sensorineural hearing loss. In addition to hearing aid use, the positive effects of auditory training—formal listening activities designed to optimize speech perception—are now being documented among adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids, especially new hearing aid users. Auditory training has also been shown to produce prolonged cognitive performance improvements. However, there is still little evidence to support the benefits of simultaneous hearing aid use and individualized face-to-face auditory training on cognitive performance in adults with hearing loss. Objective: This study will investigate whether using hearing aids for the first time will improve the impact of individualized face-to-face auditory training on cognition, depression, and social interaction for adults with sensorineural hearing loss. The rationale for this study is based on the hypothesis that, in adults with sensorineural hearing loss, using hearing aids for the first time in combination with individualized face-to-face auditory training will be more effective for improving cognition, depressive symptoms, and social interaction rather than auditory training on its own. Methods: This is a crossover trial targeting 40 men and women between 50 and 90 years of age with either mild or moderate symmetric sensorineural hearing loss. Consented, willing participants will be recruited from either an independent living accommodation or via a community database to undergo a 6-month intensive face-to-face auditory training program (active control). Participants will be assigned in random order to receive hearing aid (intervention) for either the first 3 or last 3 months of the 6-month auditory training program. Each participant will be tested at baseline, 3, and 6 months using a neuropsychological battery of computer-based cognitive assessments, together with a depression symptom instrument and a social interaction measure. The primary outcome will be cognitive performance with regard to spatial working memory. Secondary outcome measures include other cognition performance measures, depressive symptoms, social interaction, and hearing satisfaction. Results: Data analysis is currently under way and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication in June 2018. Conclusions: Results from the study will inform strategies for aural rehabilitation, hearing aid delivery, and future hearing loss intervention trials