Australasian Centre on Ageing - PhD Students
Anne’s thesis topic is on predicting adult engagement in leisure-time physical exercise: the influence of health beliefs about cardio vascular disease, personality dispositions and motivation indicators. The study looks at a number of variables which have been drawn together into a new model of leisure time physical exercise. These variables examine the influence of demographics, socioeconomics, cues to action, health beliefs, barriers to exercise (if the participant does little or no exercise) and the impact of external and internal motivation on those individuals who exercise at a moderate or vigorous level. These variables are being studied to investigate their influence on the likelihood of individuals aged over 50 years engaging in leisure-time physical exercise sufficient to be of a cardiovascular benefit.
Maree’s study proposes to examine the politics of place and space in regard to the places older people live. The aim of this study is to explore how separate ‘places’ are constructed in policy and planning discourses for older people and to explore the effect on the meanings older people make of their ‘place’.
Andrea is a PhD student researching ways that seniors can be better engaged in local-level policy processes. The purpose of her study is to develop a model for the effective engagement of a diverse range of seniors in local governance in Australia. Her research scholarship is part of an Australian Research Council Linkage grant in collaboration with Ipswich and Gold Coast City Councils and the Queensland Government Department of Communities.
Jackie is a human-animal bond consultant deeply interested in examining the psychology of human-animal interactions. She is also a Veterinarian and a psychiatric nurse with a BA majoring in philosophy and psychology. Her PhD thesis is examining the therapeutic effect of 3 months of intensive dog assisted therapy on Alzheimers sufferers in residential care facilities. Her findings will help to target therapy to the needs of Alzheimers sufferers.