[{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=65","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI-in-the-News-thumbnail.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI-in-the-News-thumbnail.jpg","Title":"Ageing in Singapore: It takes a village to support our seniors (The Straits Times, 31 Jan 2025)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1738252800000)\/","Desp":"GERI\u0027s Executive Director, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, weighs in on the importance of building supportive environments for Singapore\u0027s older adults in an op-ed published by The Straits Times.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuilding supportive environments can move the needle for older adults’ health and well-being in a significant way, amplifying the outcomes of HealthierSG and other policy efforts, writes GERI’s Executive Director, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong in an op-ed published in The Straits Times on 31 Jan 2025.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven as older adults contend with age-related conditions, he points out that healthy ageing is still possible – if they are buoyed by interpersonal connections, caregiving support, health-social services and other elements of an enabling ecosystem.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial, non-medical factors account for up to 60% of health outcomes, and many of these factors are embedded in the community. “By converging our efforts around building supportive environments, we can target and strengthen many of these elements that affect older adults’ well-being. Given Singapore’s finite resources and a ticking clock as our population rapidly ages, this could be a strategic move,” says Associate Professor Ding.​​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe perennial challenge remains: how can we rally policymakers, healthcare practitioners, researchers and community partners around this shared goal? The op-ed explores a fresh approach towards fostering buy-in, as well as the role of research in implementing better health policies and programmes for our older population.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead the op-ed on The Straits Times \u003ca href=\"https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/ageing-in-singapore-it-takes-a-village-to-support-our-seniors\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.​\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"The Straits Times","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"65","Month":"January","Year":"2025"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=63","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200px_IMPACTFrail-Kick-off-meeting-7-Jan-2025-group-photo-2.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200px_IMPACTFrail-Kick-off-meeting-7-Jan-2025-group-photo-2.jpg","Title":"Intrinsic capacity in Singapore\u0027s primary care: IMPACTFrail to be piloted at five polyclinics","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1737043200000)\/","Desp":"​A collaborative research project by GERI, National University Polyclinics (NUP), National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP) and SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP), called IMPACTFrail, aims to translate the National Frailty Policy into real-world practice by piloting a new healthy ageing programme at five polyclinics. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA collaborative research project by GERI, National University Polyclinics (NUP), National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP) and SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP) aims to translate the National Frailty Policy into real-world practice by piloting a new healthy ageing programme at five polyclinics. ​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe National Frailty Policy was introduced in 2023 by the Ministry of Health, Singapore to address frailty by optimising old​er adults’ intrinsic capacity (their physical and mental capabilities) and functional ability (their ability to do the things that are important to them).\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study is titled \"Implementing the National Frailty Policy in Singapore’s primary care: The Intrinsic Capacity ProMotion in PrimAry Care for The Frail Program\", or IMPACTFrail for short. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e​“IMPACTFrail screens mildly frail older adults for vision, hearing, nutrition, mobility, memory and mental healt\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangecursor-start\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangecursor-end\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003eh, and provides coordinated care across health and social services. Implementing this programme in the primary care setting is strategic, as it serves older adults who may not be participating in screening programmes at active ageing centres and community centres,” shared Dr Grace Sum Chi-En, PhD, Research Fellow, GERI and the study’s Principal Investigator.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn 7 Jan 2025, the IMPACTFrail study team and stakeholders gathered for a virtual kick-off meeting to mark the programme’s roll-out around Mar 2025. GERI’s Executive Director and Lead Scientist, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, gave the opening remarks. The following cluster leads from NHGP, NUP and SHP by were in attendance, with each cluster providing insights into their intended plan of action to pilot IMPACTFrail at their respective sites:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNHGP: \u003c/strong\u003eDr David Ng, Head (Special Projects) \u0026 Deputy Director (Clinical Services)\u003cstrong\u003e​ \u003c/strong\u003eand Dr Jonathan Ng, Family Medicine Clinician\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNUP: \u003c/strong\u003eDr Richard Hui, Director (Primary Care Partnerships, RHS Office) and Dr Kwek Sing Cheer, Senior Consultant\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSHP: \u003c/strong\u003e​Professor Ng Chirk Jenn, Deputy Director (Research) and Dr Sinead Wang Zhen, Senior Consultant\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200px_IMPACTFrail-Kick-off-meeting-7-Jan-2025-group-photo.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This is an exciting milestone, representing the culmination of hard work in co-developing the programme and implementation strategies. Next, we will apply implementation research concepts and a multi-methods approach to conduct a feasibility study. By involving three healthcare clusters from the outset, we increase the likelihood of successfully scaling up, informing policymaking on frailty and promoting healthy ageing in Singapore,” said Dr Sum.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStay tuned as we bring you more updates on IMPACTFrail and other GERI research projects.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"63","Month":"January","Year":"2025"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=62","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20photo%20collage%20group%20final.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20photo%20collage%20group%20final.jpg","Title":"Adding 15 Million Years of Healthy Life: GERI at the Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress 2024 (Part Two)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1733414400000)\/","Desp":"GERI researchers contributed their research findings through a series of engaging poster presentations at the 22nd Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress (SHBC) 2024 at the Singapore Expo on 10 and 11 October. In the second of this two-part feature series, we highlight three GERI poster presentations on topics such as medication prescribing and the influence of trust on health decisions made by older adults. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:1em;color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:1em;color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003eGERI r\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:1em;color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003eesearchers contributed their research findings through a series of engaging poster presentations at the 22nd Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress (SHBC) 2024 at the Singapore Expo on 10 and 11 October.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(119, 119, 119);font-size:1em;\"\u003e​\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003eThemed “Adding 15 Million Years of​ Healthy Life\", the National Healthcare Group\u0027s annual flagship conference gathered healthcare professionals, scientists, community care partners, and researchers over three days to discuss the challenges of delaying the onset of serious illness and raising the healthspan of the population.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003eIn the second of this two-part feature series, we highlight three GERI poster p​resentations on topics such as medication prescribing and the influence of trust on health decisions made by older adults. \u003cstrong\u003eRead more below\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/Sites%20Assets/Publications%20Document/SHBC%202024_Pro-M_poster.pdf\" style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"\"\u003e“Assessing the implementability of a physician pharmacist collaborative intervention to facilitate appropriate prescribing for older adults in outpatient clinics in Singapore\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch Associate June Teng\u0027s poster presentation focused on the evaluation of a collaborative intervention between physicians and pharmacists aimed at facilitating appropriate prescribing for older adults in an outpatient specialist clinic within a public acute hospital.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study, which used a mixed-method approach, concluded that the physicians and pharmacists were positive about conducting medication reviews and the collaborative nature of the intervention. Additionally, they found discussions about the findings from medication reviews to be helpful.​ Areas to address for improved implementation were also identified.\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangecursor-start\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangecursor-end\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20-%20June%20collage%20(compressed).jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:780px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/Sites%20Assets/Publications%20Document/SHBC%202024_Vax%20Findings.pdf\" style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"\"\u003e“\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"\"\u003eOlder adults\u0027 trust in medical community and other information sources during COVID-19 pandemic\u0027s vaccination phase: Findings from a mixed methods study\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"\"\u003e\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis mixed methods study, presented by Research Associate Fiona Goh, explored how trust influenced health decisions among older adults, particularly during the COVID-19 vaccination phase.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study emphasised the importance of adapting messaging to different phases of the pandemic to address the needs of older adults. The findings also demonstrated that the medical community in Singapore is a trusted source of information on COVID-19 vaccination and highlighted the importance of the medical community\u0027s role in fostering current and future vaccine acceptance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20-%20Fiona%20collage%20(compressed).jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:779px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/Sites%20Assets/Publications%20Document/SHBC%202024_Pro-M%20study%20%28D-118%29.pdf\" style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"\"\u003e“Impact of a pharmacist-led medication review on prescribing and patients\u0027 experience: Findings from a feasibility study\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTang Jia Ying, Research Officer, spoke about a single-arm, non-randomised, feasibility study that examined the impact of a pharmacist-led medication review on prescribing and patients\u0027 experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study\u0027s findings show that using medication review helped to reduce potentially inappropriate medications and other medication issues among the geriatric medicine patients, all of whom were aged 65 and above. Medication reviews were also well-received by the patients, although one-third of them felt that this service should be free of charge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20-%20Jia%20Ying%20collage%20(compressed).jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:777px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCongratulations to all our researchers for their continued contributions to improving the health of older adults in Singapore!\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:rgb(102, 102, 102);\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"\"\u003eRead part one of this feature\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:rgb(102, 102, 102);\"\u003e \u003c/em\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:rgb(102, 102, 102);\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"\"\u003eshowcasing more poster presentations by GERI researchers at SH\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"\"\u003eBC 2024\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=60\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ehere\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:rgb(102, 102, 102);\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"\"\u003e.​\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"62","Month":"December","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=61","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/KPS%20ACP%20webinar%209%20Oct%20group%20photo%20(final).jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/KPS%20ACP%20webinar%209%20Oct%20group%20photo%20(final).jpg","Title":"Knowledge to Practice Series: Advance Care Planning Quality: A Learning Journey of Continuous Improvement (9 Oct 2024)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1731600000000)\/","Desp":"Advance care planning (ACP), according to the World Report on Ageing and Health by the World Health Organization, is an important part of caring for older people, including those who have a significant decline in their intrinsic capacity. However, practicing quality ACP is challenging and multiple barriers have been identified at different stages of the ACP process. GERI’s most recent webinar featured a series of insightful presentations from experts, including ACP Quality Implementation teams, who shared their experiences and potential strategies for overcoming these challenges.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e​\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangecursor-start\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangecursor-end\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003eAdvance care planning (ACP), according to the World Report on Ageing and Health by the World Health Organization, is an important part of caring for older people, including those who have a significant decline in their intrinsic capacity. However, practicing quality ACP is challenging and multiple barriers have been identified at different stages of the ACP process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs part of its Knowledge to Practice Series (KPS), GERI\u0027s most recent webinar featured a series of insightful presentations from experts, including ACP Quality Implementation teams, who shared their experiences and potential strategies for overcoming these challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith one in four Singaporeans projected to be over 65 by 2030, Dr Raymond Ng, Visiting Consultant, GERI, and Chief, Palliative and Supportive Care, Woodlands Health, opened the session by underscoring the need to improve ACP quality as Singapore\u0027s population ages.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfessor Ayelet Gneezy, Professor for Behavioral Sciences and Marketing, University of California San Diego, discussed potential barriers to ACP completion, emphasising the need to understand the unique perspectives of individuals, families, healthcare systems, and caregivers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresenting their findings on enhancing the quality of ACP documentation, Mr Roland Chong, Senior Manager, and Ms Jasmine Tan, Senior Coordinator from Tan Tock Seng Hospital\u0027s Division of Integrative and Community Care, introduced a structured ACP documentation template, which focuses on capturing key elements during ACP conversations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA potential solution to reduce ACP rejections and increase referral rates by using an ACP introduction guide was shared by Mr Pestian Teo, an ACP facilitator with Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. The guide allowed care providers to use it as a communication tool to convey the essence and purpose of ACP more effectively to their patients.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe webinar also highlighted the importance of mentorship in improving ACP practices. Ms Liao Kehua, Advanced Practice Nurse, Woodlands Health, discussed how mentorship programmes have empowered healthcare providers to navigate the complexities of ACP conversations, fostering a supportive learning environment that builds confidence and skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd in her presentation on assessing community-dwelling residents\u0027 readiness for ACP discussions, Ms Ng Xiang Ling, Senior Staff Nurse, Singapore General Hospital (SGH) shared research revealing that proactive engagement by healthcare professionals is essential for normalising these conversations and improving initiation rates.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRounding off the presentations, another SGH Senior Staff Nurse, Ms Angalaprameswary D/O Paniersalavam addressed the low ACP completion rates among medical intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, highlighting the need for more training of ICU staff to better facilitate ACP discussions for this group.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConcluding the webinar, Associate Professor James Alvin Low, Lead Scientist, GERI, and Senior Consultant in Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, reflected on the growth of the ACP programme in Singapore over the last 15 years. He also emphasised the importance of translating research findings from journal publications into practical applications that can make a difference in real-world settings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrganised in collaboration with the Agency for Integrated Care, the webinar provided useful insights for policymakers and healthcare professionals endeavouring to improve ACP practices and policies. It drew over 600 participants from various healthcare settings, educational institutions as well as public agencies.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA synopsis of each presentation can be found in our Knowledge to Practice Series Webinar Brief: click \u003cspan lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"text-decoration-line:underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Documents/KPS%20Brief_ACP%20Quality.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClick \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration-line:underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Documents/ACP%20Quality%20Flyer_FINAL.pdf\"\u003ehere​\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e for the programme and speakers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor more information about the presentations, please email us at enquiry@geri.com.sg​\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"61","Month":"November","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=60","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20Event%20Image%20(compressed).jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20Event%20Image%20(compressed).jpg","Title":"Adding 15 Million Years of Healthy Life: GERI at the Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress 2024 (Part One)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1730649600000)\/","Desp":"GERI researchers contributed their research findings through a series of engaging poster presentations at the 22nd Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress (SHBC) 2024 at the Singapore Expo on 10 and 11 October. In this two-part feature series, we gather highlights from GERI’s poster presentations at SHBC 2024, which cover a range of topics, including advance care planning, brief geriatric assessment, appropriate prescribing, and community-based interventions for older adults.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:rgb(142, 142, 142);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage: SHBC / NHG​\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGERI researchers contributed their research findings through a series of engaging poster presentations at the 22\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003csup style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003end\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress (SHBC) 2024 at the Singapore Expo on 10 and 11 October.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003eThemed “Adding 15 Million Years of Healthy Life\", the National Healthcare Group\u0027s annual flagship conference gathered healthcare professionals, scientists, community care partners, and researchers over three days to discuss the challenges of delaying the onset of serious illness and raising the healthspan of the population.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003eIn this two-part feature series, we gather highlights from GERI\u0027s poster presentations, which cover a range of topics, including advance care planning, brief geriatric assessment, appropriate prescribing, and community-based interventions for older adults. \u003cstrong\u003eRead part one of the highlights below.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/Sites%20Assets/Publications%20Document/SHBC%202024_AQI%20project.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Enhancing advance care planning practice using a Knowledge Translation (KT) approach\" style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"\"\u003e“Enhancing advance care planning practice using a Knowledge Translation (KT) approach\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch Fellow Dr Yu Chou Chuen presented a project on using the Knowledge-To-Action model in a novel way to pioneer a national framework guiding how advance care planning (ACP) is implemented.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to utilising implementation science principles, the year-long process to develop the quality framework also involved engaging stakeholders such as ACP facilitators and healthcare professionals, and formulating implementation strategies that are contextualised to local settings to address selected barriers.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20-%20CC%20collage%20(compressed).jpg\" alt=\"Enhancing advance care planning practice using a Knowledge Translation (KT) approach\" style=\"margin:5px;width:810px;height:405px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangepaste-start\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/Sites%20Assets/Publications%20Document/SHBC%202024_Health%20Policy%20Delphi.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Developing a Delphi consensus on the domains and conduct of brief geriatric assessments for case-finding in Singapore\" style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Developing a Delphi consensus on the domains and conduct of brief geriatric assessments for case-finding in Singapore\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is highly effective in assessing older adults holistically in order to develop long term personalised care plans for them, it is resource-intensive. A brief geriatric assessment (BGA) is a possible alternative but there is limited evidence on how best to implement it in community and primary care settings.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch Fellow Dr Jonathan Gao\u0027s poster presentation focused on a two-round Delphi study involving experts in geriatric and family medicine. This study found that BGAs should be administered selectively by healthcare professionals in order to first identify older adults with geriatric syndromes, so that they can then be referred for a CGA.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20-%20Jonathan%20collage%20(compressed).jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:781px;\" /\u003e​\u003cspan style=\"\"\u003e​​\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/Sites%20Assets/Publications%20Document/SHBC%202024_HPB%20Study%20%28D1-126%29.pdf\" style=\"\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Exploring the motivating factors for fitness instructors to deliver the Live Well Age Well programme in Singapore: A mixed-metho\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Exploring the motivating factors for fitness instructors to deliver the Live Well Age Well programme in Singapore: A mixed-method study\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Live Well Age Well (LWAW) programme, a community-based initiative in Singapore, engages fitness instructors to provide group exercises (Move It Feel Strong) and functional assessments for older adults. This study, presented by Irene Wang Qing, Research Associate, explored the factors that motivate these non-healthcare professionals to take on such roles in the community.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough a mixed-methods approach, the study revealed that intrinsic motivators, such as the personal fulfilment gained from enhancing the well-being of older adults, were the most significant drivers for them.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20-%20Irene%20collage%20(compressed).jpg\" alt=\"Exploring the motivating factors for fitness instructors to deliver the Live Well Age Well programme in Singapore: A mixed-method study\" style=\"margin:5px;width:620px;height:433px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCongratulations to all our researchers for their continued contributions to improving the health of older adults in Singapore!​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC%202024%20photo%20collage%20group%20final.jpg\" alt=\"GERI at SHBC 2024\" style=\"margin:5px;width:798px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:rgb(73, 166, 148);text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:rgb(73, 166, 148);\"\u003eRead part two of this feature​​, where we showcase more poster presentations by GERI researchers at SHBC 2024, \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=62\"\u003ehere​\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangecursor-start\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ms-rterangecursor-end\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"60","Month":"November","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=64","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI-in-the-News-thumbnail.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI-in-the-News-thumbnail.jpg","Title":"Young caregivers: Balancing the stress, developing empathy (The Straits Times, 19 Oct 2024)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1729267200000)\/","Desp":"Our Research Associate, Araviinthansai Subramaniam, was quoted in an article by The Straits Times on the rise of young caregivers in Singapore amidst the backdrop of an ageing society.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany older adults rely on informal caregivers, such as their adult children or foreign domestic workers. In a series published on 19 Oct 2024, The Straits Times highlighted the rise of younger caregivers amidst the backdrop of an ageing society, and featured Gen Z caregivers who face unique challenges when caring for their loved ones.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGERI Research Associate, Araviinthansai Subramaniam\u003c/strong\u003e was quoted in the article, sharing insights from a publication based on his Master’s thesis: “For young caregivers, role conflict and emotional strain can result as they balance the challenges of caregiving with striving for typical milestones in their late teens and 20s, such as entering tertiary education, beginning their careers, growing their autonomy or wanting to leave the parental home to start a family upon marriage.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe also highlighted the potential for young caregivers to develop critical skills like problem-solving, leadership, as well as qualities like empathy through their caregiving experience.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRead the full story on The Straits Times \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.straitstimes.com/life/young-caregivers-balancing-the-stress-developing-empathy\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehere​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e and \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.straitstimes.com/life/when-the-child-becomes-the-parent-number-of-young-caregivers-set-to-rise\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehere​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"The Straits Times","Mediasource":"The Straits Times","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"64","Month":"October","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=59","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/IDOP-2024_Araviinthansai-Subramaniam_GERI.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/IDOP-2024_Araviinthansai-Subramaniam_GERI.jpg","Title":"International Day of Older Persons 2024: Reflections on healthy ageing","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1727712000000)\/","Desp":"On the occasion of International Day of Older Persons 2024, our Research Associates, Araviinthansai Subramaniam and Fiona Goh, took a moment to reflect on what healthy ageing means for them and their older family members, and how this drives them.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/IDOP-2024_Fiona-Goh_Research-Associate_GERI.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:10px 0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e​Today, we commemorate International Day of Older Persons (IDOP), which shines a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities faced by ageing populations globally.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is growing momentum to achieve the vision set out in the United Nations \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/initiatives/decade-of-healthy-ageing\"\u003eDecade of Healthy Ageing​\u003c/a\u003e (2021-2030)—to foster not just longer, but healthier lives. Here at GERI, our researchers continue to contribute to this endeavour, creating and translating evidence on strengthening intrinsic capacity and supportive environments for older adults.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is easy to get caught up in the buzzwords and lose sight of the essence of healthy ageing, as perceived by younger and older generations alike. Our Research Associates Araviinthansai Subramaniam and Fiona Goh took a moment to reflect on what healthy ageing means for them and their older family members, and how this drives them.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFollow GERI on \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/geriatric-education-research-institute/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e for more updates on our researchers and their projects.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI","Mediasource":"GERI Corporate Communications","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"59","Month":"October","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=58","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Website-article_5-tips-for-implementation-research.png","ImageDescription":"iStock","Title":"Lost in knowledge translation? 5 tips to bring research evidence into implementation  ","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1725984000000)\/","Desp":"At a recent seminar with GERI researchers, knowledge translation expert and GERI Adjunct Scientist, Dr Sharon E. Straus, outlined 5 best practices for researchers to enhance the adoption of research evidence into routine care and practice.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:10px;\"\u003e​Image: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo impact the health and well-being of older adults, real-world change has to take place: at the level of individual behaviour, and through to the levels of practice, communities and beyond. Implementation research in health and healthcare can help catalyse this change by going beyond knowledge creation to translate evidence into tangible shifts in policy and practice. However, researchers often encounter practical hurdles in the knowledge translation process.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt a recent seminar with GERI researchers, knowledge translation expert and GERI Adjunct Scientist, Dr Sharon E. Straus, outlined 5 best practices for researchers to enhance the adoption of research evidence into routine care and practice.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Straus is the Director of the Knowledge Translation Program and Executive Vice-President, Clinical Programs and Chief Medical Officer at Unity Health Toronto. She is a Professor in the ​​Department of Medicine, University of Toronto and holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Knowledge Translation and Quality of Care.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. Apply an “implementation research sensibility\" to dissemination efforts\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It is rare for most projects to immediately go on to implementation,\" observed Dr Straus. “Usually our first step is around dissemination, and really thinking about that.\" This means understanding how each target audience group receives and uses research evidence, and tailoring key messages and translation strategies for each audience type. “It is about thinking what the barriers and facilitators are,\" said Dr Straus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne such facilitator is active dissemination approaches to encourage the use of evidence in practice. “For example, we could think about working with clinicians to understand what they would like to know from your research, and working with them on preparing key messages,\" Dr Straus said.  From there, more interactive strategies could be employed, such as educational meetings to help clinicians use a guideline in their practice.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother facilitator is translating complex research into meaningful messages. As Dr Straus puts it, “We have got all this data (…) How do we, in a single picture, explain this to a clinician?\" In an example, her team turned complex study findings into a rank-heat graph (akin to a heat map), with different colour codes and circles to convey an array of health outcomes and the interventions studied. This way, clinicians could identify the most effective interventions at-a-glance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Website-article_Quote_5-Tips-for-implementation-research.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. Get stakeholders on board with simple nudging strategies.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGetting buy-in from stakeholders for scaling up an intervention can be challenging. Making the effort to understand why they are not supportive could help in addressing that challenge.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If they do not have the time, find ways to align with their time, in order to make it (the intervention) easier to implement. For instance, maybe there are things that can be taken away to make the implementation of this process or intervention easier,\" suggested Dr Straus. To encourage stakeholders to take the leap, “champions\" could be identified who can model the desired behaviour within their context.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo nudge stakeholders towards evidence-informed intervention design, Dr Straus\u0027s tip would be to illustrate with examples, such as where interventions implemented without evidence resulted in resource waste or even outright harm to care recipients.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3. When working with policymakers, engage them closely and manage their expectations.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePolicymakers want research that they can use to inform their decisions. A challenge that researchers often face when producing such time-sensitive research for policymakers is that additional funding may not be available and researchers have to juggle multiple other projects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing from her team\u0027s experience, Dr Straus shared, “If we are doing work with policymakers, we stay very closely engaged with them and give them updates regularly, not just at the beginning and when we are almost done. It is about making sure that we keep that communication going.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is also important to outline for the policymaker what the research team can or cannot do based on resource or funding availability. By “understanding from the beginning what their (policymakers\u0027) timelines are and helping them understanding what our (researchers\u0027) timelines are\", policymakers\u0027 expectations can be managed, Dr Straus said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4. Ask questions to identify the right framework or implementation strategy to use.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearchers are often concerned about settling on the single best-fit theory or framework to map implementation barriers and facilitators. However, Dr Straus cautions that there is no such “perfect\" nor single framework. Instead, part of what this selection process entails is asking yourself what the purpose and goal of your project is before considering available options.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilarly, when selecting implementation strategies for a particular intervention, researchers should consider key questions grounded in the project\u0027s context. Dr Straus outlined some examples, such as asking whether the potential implementation strategy is compatible for the intervention\u0027s setting, or whether it is feasible, equitable, affordable, effective and cost-effective.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuestions around sustainability can also inform the eventual implementation strategy. “It is important to be working with partners in different organisations to think about whether this is going to be sustainable, or what might happen when funding runs out,\" said Dr Straus, adding that possible risk to outcomes and future engagement are also important to consider.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5. Support site-implementation teams by being specific and detailed.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen supporting implementation teams in operationalising chosen interventions, leave no room for guesses. “Name it (the implementation strategy), define it, specify what it is going to be,\" Dr Straus emphasised. These include spelling out timelines, what specific supports will be needed, and what implementation outcomes are anticipated to be affected.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis approach becomes especially valuable when working on multi-site interventions. “If you have multiple sites for your implementation strategies, what we (Dr Straus\u0027s study team) did was that we gave each organisation a different implementation plan that was tailored to the barriers and facilitators of their setting.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy supporting site teams with “a recipe that they could follow\", researchers can give implementers a tangible toolkit and approach that they can and are more likely to use—for both the project at hand, and for future initiatives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"58","Month":"September","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=56","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-950265014_1200.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-950265014_1200.jpg","Title":"An integrated approach to managing frailty and intrinsic capacity: Interview with Associate Professor Laura Tay","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1724256000000)\/","Desp":"In this two-part feature series, we speak to INFINITY-ICOPE\u0027s Principal Investigator, Associate Professor Laura Tay (Head and Senior Consultant, Geriatric Medicine, Sengkang General Hospital; Lead Scientist, GERI). She shares her insights on how promoting intrinsic capacity can change the way we manage frailty, how INFINITY-ICOPE supports Singapore’s national strategies on healthy ageing, and more. ","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:10px;\"\u003e​Image: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:17.3333px;color:#49a694;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#49a694;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#49a694;\"\u003eTo unlock not just longer but healthier lives, it is crucial to prevent or slow declines in older adults’ physical and mental capacities, or their intrinsic capacity. This is at the heart of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework, which guides practitioners and policymakers on intrinsic capacity screening, and providing personalised and coordinated care. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#49a694;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#49a694;\"\u003eGERI is the implementation research partner for the INFINITY-ICOPE research project (Optimising INtrinsic Capacity for Functional INdependence and to Impede FrailTY in Older Adults: Adaptation of the WHO-ICOPE for Healthy Ageing in Singapore)*, which seeks to adapt and implement the WHO ICOPE framework in the community. INFINITY-ICOPE aims to help older adults maintain their functional independence. Programme components include screening and interventions that allow primary and community-care partners to manage frailty and intrinsic capacity in an integrated way.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#49a694;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#49a694;\"\u003eIn this two-part feature series, we speak to INFINITY-ICOPE\u0027s Principal Investigator, \u003cstrong\u003eAssociate Professor Laura Tay\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e(Head and Senior Consultant, Geriatric Medicine, Sengkang General Hospital; Lead Scientist, GERI)\u003c/strong\u003e. She shares her insights on how promoting intrinsic capacity can change the way we manage frailty, how INFINITY-ICOPE supports Singapore’s national strategies on healthy ageing, and more. \u003cstrong\u003eRead part one with Associate Professor Tay below.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e​​​*Supported by the National Medical Research Council Singapore, under the National Innovation Challenge on Active and Confident Ageing.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGERI: There has been a lot of attention on the spike in frailty in Singapore, but we do not always hear intrinsic capacity discussed in the same breath. Why is intrinsic capacity important when it comes to managing frailty in older adults?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAssociate Professor Laura Tay: \u003c/strong\u003eIntrinsic capacity (IC) supports early identification of older adults with or at risk of developing frailty, enabling targeted intervention and personalised care. More broadly, IC and frailty are the main determinants of functional ability, which needs to be developed and maintained for well-being in older age. Thus, IC is also critical for healthy ageing, and has been identified as a key priority by the WHO.\u003csup\u003e1\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIC may be viewed as a natural evolution of frailty. Declining levels of IC make a frail older person extremely vulnerable to adverse outcomes. IC decline is also highly prevalent. It increases the risk of developing frailty and contributes to negative health events such as disability, falls and increased healthcare utilisation. Hence, integrating IC and frailty presents a valuable opportunity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2022.28\"\u003eOur study\u003c/a\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e has shown that 45% of robust older adults naturally transitioned to pre-frailty/frailty within just two years, so robustness alone as an indicator of well-being – without assessing IC levels – may offer false reassurance. The same study also found that incident frailty is associated with cumulative IC deficits. Thus, while seemingly distinct, both frailty and IC represent correlated points on a continuum: IC is an indicator of one\u0027s bodily reserves, and frailty indicates the health deficits that accumulate with ageing. Efforts to promote IC and prevent frailty therefore cannot be mutually exclusive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy considering IC and frailty on a common trajectory, three major periods of IC states can be defined to guide specific goals and tailor intervention plans. This complementary perspective has practical clinical implications: (i) monitoring IC to support early identification of individuals with frailty or at-risk of frailty; and (ii) IC assessment of a frail individual supports targeted and personalised care plans.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Quote%20banner_Prof%20Laura%20Tay_Meet%20our%20researchers.png\" alt=\"Associate Professor Laura Tay, Lead Scientist, GERI\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003csup\u003e1\u003c/sup\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003eWorld Health Organization (WHO)’s Public Health Framework for Healthy Ageing (2015), which aims to foster the functional ability of older adults at the individual level. and environmental level. Read th\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003ee report \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565042\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003csup\u003e2​ \u003c/sup\u003eTay L, Tay EL, Mah SM, Latib A, Koh C, Ng YS. \"Association of Intrinsic Capacity with Frailty, Physical Fitness and Adverse Health Outcomes in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.\" \u003cem\u003eJ Frailty Aging\u003c/em\u003e. 2023;12(1):7-15. doi: 10.14283/jfa.2022.28. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe INFINITY-ICOPE project is happening amidst the roll-out of HealthierSG and the Action Plan for Successful Ageing. How is the ICOPE framework particularly relevant for our health and social systems? How do you foresee ICOPE playing a role in supporting population health and healthy ageing in Singapore? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe WHO ICOPE framework\u003csup\u003e3\u003c/sup\u003e has an eye towards preventive health, personalised care, as well as primary and community care, underscoring its relevance to Singapore. The framework is a prevention programme that is evidence-based, function-centered and person-centered, aimed for implementation before frailty occurs. It has also been specifically designed for clinical practice in primary and community care of older people.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the immediate term, the WHO ICOPE framework advocates for an easily-administered yet comprehensive screening strategy, with digitally-supported guidance and interventions. This will facilitate primary care partners in preventive care delivery, aligned to Healthier SG.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ICOPE framework also aligns with the three \"C\"s of the refreshed Action Plan for Successful Ageing: \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eC\u003c/span\u003eare through empowering older adults in their health, as they are made aware of their individual IC trajectory; opportunity to \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eC\u003c/span\u003eontribute as they are supported to maintain functional independence, and leveraging support networks to keep them \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eC\u003c/span\u003eonnected, as encapsulated in Step Five\u003csup\u003e4\u003c/sup\u003e of the Framework.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe focus on community and primary care settings will ensure accessibility, with sustainability and scaling attainable through SingHealth’s extensive community collaborations, and our partnership with GERI to facilitate national translation efforts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e​​In the long term, the WHO ICOPE framework dovetails with MOH’s “3 Beyonds” strategy:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eReorient health and social services (beyond hospital to community) towards person-centred care;\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eOptimising the functional ability of older people (beyond healthcare to health), and\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eAddressing diverse and complex needs by integrating health and social care pathways adaptable to our local population (beyond quality to value).​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003csup\u003e3 4 \u003c/sup\u003eThe WHO ICOPE framework, released in 2017, is aimed at enhancing IC, promoting functional ability and minimising care dependency through evidence-based tools and guidance specific to every level of care. It comprises of five steps: Step One – screening for declines in IC domains; Step Two – in-depth assessment of participants with IC deficits identified during screening; Step Three –  development of a personalised care plan; Step Four – monitoring of the care plan; Step Five – transversal engagement of communities and caregivers. Read more \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-FWC-ALC-19.1\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere​\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Sharing-Our-Research_SKH-MOH-Brunei-SUSS-Visit-on-WHO-ICOPE_1200.jpg\" alt=\"Associate Professor Laura Tay\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003eAssociate Professor Laura Tay (seated, second from right) hosted a meeting with visiting officials from the WHO, Ministry of Health Brunei and the Singapore University of Social Sciences, where INFINITY-ICOPE was key on the agenda. Photo courtesy of Associate Professor Tay.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCould you share more about the involvement of community and primary care partners in INFINITY-ICOPE?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe training of community partners and primary care ​providers will be necessary to facilitate screening for frailty and IC decline, and support person-centred management. We will work closely with Active Ageing Centres to deliver the screening systematically to their older adult residents, and ensure that older adults with identified IC deficits receive appropriate assessments to clarify and manage their deficits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe latter will leverage on our \u003ca href=\"https://www.skh.com.sg/patient-care/specialties-services/pages/community-health-posts.aspx\"\u003eCommunity Health Posts​\u003c/a\u003e including community nurses and well-being coordinators, primary care partners and community care providers (such as Community Outreach Teams (CREST) and day rehabilitation).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn particular, we have partnered with the Agency for Integrated Care to support the coordination of community services required by older adults post-screening.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur partnership with the Singapore University of Social Sciences will ensure sustainability of training to support the delivery of ICOPE as certified by the WHO, while existing networks of primary care partners ensure capacity to provide Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for frail older adults.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn developing care pathways for integrated care in the community, while specific pathways for each IC domain will be modelled after the ICOPE handbook, these will be adapted to ensure that they can be well-supported by our community and primary care partners.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat has working with GERI been like for this project? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur collaboration with GERI will strengthen the implementation research capabilities for the conduct of INFINITY-ICOPE. This is essential for a complex programme such as this. By concurrently evaluating the intervention and implementation outcomes, we aim to accelerate translational gains for the scaling of the programme in real-world settings, as well as provide important information on implementation strategies for key stakeholders.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe pre-implementation qualitative study conducted by GERI has identified key barriers and enablers among stakeholder implementers, which have guided the selection and development of implementation strategies according to evidence-based frameworks. GERI’s support has been instrumental in ensuring rigour to the implementation science, bringing in appropriate theory and frameworks that will account for contextual factors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eContext matters, as it brings with it a dynamic and diverse range of elements beyond evidence-based interventions that work out for and against implementation efforts.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI am very much appreciative of this opportunity to work closely with GERI, and have also personally gained significant insights from the academic exchanges.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead part two of this story \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=57\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e​​, where our Research Associate Dr Mimaika Ginting talks about strategies for implementing healthcare innovations into local practice, as part of her research for the INFINITY-ICOPE study team.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"56","Month":"August","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=57","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-535482894-(1)_1920.png","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-535482894-(1)_1920.png","Title":"Implementing the WHO ICOPE framework for Singapore’s older adults: Interview with Dr Mimaika Ginting, Research Associate","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1724256000000)\/","Desp":"In this two-part feature series, we speak to Dr Mimaika Ginting, Research Associate, GERI and member of the INFINITY-ICOPE study team, about implementation research and how it translates healthcare innovations into local practice in a way that is relevant and useful. ","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:10px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e​​Image: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#49a694;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo unlock not just longer but healthier lives, it is crucial to prevent or slow declines in older adults\u0027 physical and mental capacities, or their intrinsic capacity. This is at the heart of the World Health Organization (WHO)\u0027s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework, which guides practitioners and policymakers on intrinsic capacity screening, and providing personalised and coordinated care. \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr style=\"color:#49a694;\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#49a694;font-size:13pt;\"\u003eGERI is the implementation research partner for the INFINITY-ICOPE research project (Optimising INtrinsic Capacity for Functional INdependence and to Impede FrailTY in Older Adults: Adaptation of the WHO-ICOPE for Healthy Ageing in Singapore)*, which seeks to adapt and implement the WHO ICOPE framework in the community. INFINITY-ICOPE aims to help older adults maintain their functional independence. Programme components include screening and interventions that allow primary and community-care partners to manage frailty and intrinsic capacity in an integrated way.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#49a694;font-size:13pt;\"\u003eIn this two-part feature series, we speak to \u003cstrong\u003eDr Mimaika Ginting, Research Associate, GERI\u003c/strong\u003e and member of the INFINITY-ICOPE study team, about implementation research and how it translates healthcare innovations into local practice in a way that is relevant and useful. \u003cstrong\u003eRead part two with Dr Ginting below.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e*Supported by the National Medical Research Council Singapore, under the National Innovation Challenge on Active and Confident Ageing.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGERI: As one of the core members of the GERI-based team working on the INFINITY-ICOPE project, could you outline for us GERI\u0027s role in supporting this project?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDr Mimaika Ginting: \u003c/strong\u003eThe literature shows us that many healthcare innovations, despite being evidence-based, do not achieve anticipated health outcomes because they fail to account for contextual factors. As INFINITY-ICOPE\u0027s implementation research partner, GERI\u0027s contributions help to ensure that the WHO ICOPE framework is translated into local practice in a way that is contextualised, relevant and useful.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI is leading research to support the application and translation of \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/teams/maternal-newborn-child-adolescent-health-and-ageing/ageing-and-health/integrated-care-for-older-people-icope\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ethe WHO ICOPE framework\u003c/a\u003e into practice in Singapore. We are doing this by systematically investigating and co-developing potential strategies that could facilitate the uptake of this care model in the local context, and boost the likelihood of smooth and successful programme execution. We are also providing our expertise in assessing the outcomes of the implementation. This will be done at a later stage after INFINITY-ICOPE\u0027s roll-out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Mimaika-at-ICIC-2024_Combined_1280.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003eDr Ginting\u0027s poster presentation on the INFINITY-ICOPE pre-implementation study at the 24th International Conference on Integrated Care in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Image courtesy of Dr Ginting.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOne way in which GERI contributed to this project is by carrying out a qualitative study to identify barriers and facilitators prior to implementation. Could you describe how the team identified these factors with relevant methods, and how these would be useful for implementers? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn implementation research, we use theories and frameworks to provide explicit description of implementation-related phenomena to facilitate shared understanding across diverse settings. In our study, our team used the updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) with its Outcomes Addendum to inform all phases of our research. \u003cem\u003eLearn more below.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Final-CFIR-with-OA-Infographic-1920.png\" alt=\"updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) with its Outcomes Addendum\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the pre-implementation phase, we focused on the likelihood of key stakeholders adopting INFINITY-ICOPE as the key anticipated implementation outcome. Using the CFIR, we mapped some of the potential barriers and enablers on the likelihood of adoption. This will allow us to address the factors prior to actual implementation. At the same time, it gave us an opportunity to engage potential implementers during the process.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo mitigate these identified barriers, we went further and mapped them\u003csup\u003e1\u003c/sup\u003e to relevant implementation strategies. We are now working together with potential implementers to select, specify, and develop relevant solutions to facilitate a successful INFINITY-ICOPE run.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFindings are especially useful for implementers when they are provided in a timely manner during the project, as opposed to only disseminating the insights at a later stage of the study. To do this, we applied a rapid approach in our pre-implementation qualitative study, adapting our methods to produce analysis and generate timely and relevant insights within a short timeframe. This allows the implementation lead to make adaptations mid-way during the study, where necessary.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003csup\u003e1\u003c/sup\u003eBased on the 73 Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) strategies. Read more \u003ca href=\"https://implementationscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13012-015-0209-1\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAs part of your research for INFINITY-ICOPE, you have had the opportunity to engage with potential implementers such as healthcare workers and community nurses to understand their perspectives. What are your thoughts on this experience? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was a very insightful and fruitful experience for me. Rich perspectives were shared by stakeholders from the public, private and community sectors. I had the opportunity to understand, from implementers\u0027 perspectives, the potential challenges and considerations faced in doing the groundwork to get a healthcare innovation going. GERI was well-supported in this collaboration process by the study team from SingHealth and community partners.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Sharing-Our-Research_Mimaika-presentation_SKH-MOH-Brunei-SUSS-Visit_1200.jpg\" alt=\"Dr Mimaika Ginting, Research Associate, GERI\" style=\"margin:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:800px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eDr Ginting co-delivering a presentation on INFINITY-ICOPE\u0027s pre-implementation study to visiting officials from \u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe WHO, the Ministry of Health Brunei and Singapore University of Social Sciences.​ Image courtesy of Dr Ginting.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdapting and implementing an innovation into local practice is challenging. Factors such as constraints in resources, complexity, and the compatibility of the innovation (with local systems, processes and target users) can all play a part. It is important to leverage on known motivating factors and enablers for adoption, to minimise trade-offs and improve feasibility.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor example, we could look at the supporting evidence and experiences from other contexts to agree on the potential benefits that an evidence-based practice might have. This could intrinsically motivate healthcare professionals who strive to benefit the target population under their care.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCould you give us a peek into other ongoing research projects that you are involved in? What do you find meaningful about your current work at GERI and what keeps you motivated?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Quote%20banner_Mimaika_Meet%20our%20researchers.png\" alt=\"Dr Mimaika Ginting, Research Associate, GERI\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI am actively involved in two other projects on implementing a care model for frail older adults. One project is implemented in the hospital setting, and the other one is in the primary care setting across all three healthcare clusters in Singapore.  The latter is a national-level study that seeks to deliver and implement recommendations from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.moh.gov.sg/resources-statistics/reports/frailty-strategy-policy-report\"\u003eNational Frailty Strategy Policy\u003c/a\u003e in our primary care landscape. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a researcher, I find my current work meaningful as we strive to not only generate knowledge, but to also translate and apply it in real-world practice, and to ultimately inform policy. Working in the field of implementation research has given me a different perspective: we do not stop at providing research findings, but are also an active partner in co-developing workable solutions, or to help answer the question: “So what, and what can we do next?\" This active collaboration and partnership makes our research relevant and impactful for target users, including older adults at large.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI continue to grow and learn from my experiences at GERI over the years, be it the exposure to healthcare systems and practices, varied stakeholder groups, or to different research methods. Working within teams with individuals with diverse backgrounds and different kinds of expertise also challenges my thinking processes, broadens my horizons and helps me to appreciate differences in perspectives.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead part one of this story \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=56\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ehere\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e with INFINITY-ICOPE\u0027s Principal Investigator, Associate Professor Laura Tay (Head and Senior Consultant, Geriatric Medicine at Sengkang General Hospital; Lead Scientist at GERI), as she shares her insights on integrated approaches to promoting intrinsic capacity and manage frailty.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"57","Month":"August","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=55","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200%20x%20672%20-%20GERI%20at%20Scientific%20Conferences%20-%20Apr-Jun%202024%20Final.png","ImageDescription":"Sharing Our Research: GERI at Scientific Conferences","Title":"GERI researchers share implementation research findings at scientific conferences","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1723478400000)\/","Desp":"GERI believes in sharing its findings with knowledge users and stakeholders to promote healthy ageing for our population in Singapore. From April to June this year, two GERI researchers presented their implementation research strategies at global conferences.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:15px;\"\u003e\u003cbr class=\"Apple-interchange-newline\"\u003e​GERI believes in sharing its findings with knowledge users and stakeholders to promote healthy ageing for our population in Singapore. From April to June this year, two GERI researchers presented their implementation research strategies at global conferences.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#444444;\"\u003eIn April, Research Associate Dr Mimaika Ginting was in Belfast, Northern Ireland to fly the flag for GERI’s research on healthy ageing at the 24th International Conference on Integrated Care. Dr Ginting’s poster shared a study done in support of INFINITY-ICOPE, a research project focused on the implementation of the \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=26\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWorld Health Organization’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE)​​\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c/span\u003eframework. ​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported by the National Innovation Challenge on Active and Confident Ageing, INFINITY-ICOPE employs a community-based intervention that screens for frailty and intrinsic capacity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor a healthcare innovation to succeed in real-world settings, context matters. Dr Ginting outlined preliminary findings on anticipated barriers and facilitators for INFINITY-ICOPE’s roll-out, which were elicited from perspectives and experiences of healthcare workers and community partners on the ground.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Conference%20Highlights%20-%20Apr-Jun%202024%20-%20Mimaika%20Quote.png\" alt=\"Dr Mimaika Ginting quote\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch Associate Penny Lun visited Christchurch, New Zealand in May to represent GERI at the Australian \u0026 New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting 2024.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMs Lun’s poster presentation highlighted the novel way of using the Knowledge-To-Action model to pioneer a national framework to guide how advance care planning (ACP) is carried out in Singapore. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSet to be finalised later this year, the framework is the culmination of efforts by the ACP Quality Implementation (AQI) Knowledge Exchange Platform convened by GERI, in collaboration with the Agency of Integrated Care, to improve ACP adoption in real-world settings. Read more\u003cspan style=\"color:#0000ff;\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=52\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#0000ff;\"\u003ehere\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Conference%20Highlights%20-%20Apr-Jun%202024%20-%20Penny%20Quote.png\" alt=\"Ms Penny Lun quote\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e​​Follow us on \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/geriatric-education-research-institute/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#0000ff;\"\u003eLinkedIn​\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#0000ff;\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003efor more updates on GERI researchers in action at conferences in Singapore and abroad.​​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"55","Month":"August","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=54","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-1950661425---Article.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-1950661425---Article.jpg","Title":"Going beyond traditional research, GERI’s Health Policy Group tackles policy challenges for population health impact","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1719417600000)\/","Desp":"Recognising that sound policies are implementable ones, a dedicated team of GERI researchers set about to address health policy challenges affecting our older population. We lift the veil on how GERI’s Health Policy Group goes beyond traditional research to help policymakers understand what could work, what might not and why when it comes to healthy ageing in Singapore’s context. ","Content":"\u003cspan style=\"color:#444444;\"\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:10px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e​Image: iStock​\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eRecognising that sound policies are implementable ones, a dedicated team of GERI researchers set about to address health policy challenges affecting our older population. We lift the veil on how GERI\u0027s Health Policy Group goes beyond traditional research to help policymakers understand what could work, what might not and why when it comes to healthy ageing in Singapore\u0027s context. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom the Action Plan for Successful Ageing to Age Well SG, the road to healthy ageing in Singapore is carefully paved with policymakers’ good intentions—that is, to improve the overall health and well-being of the older population. To support policymakers in actualising this vision, a dedicated GERI team has been producing evidence-based research to address questions that arise from decision-making. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The recent formation of the Health Policy Group (HPG) at GERI brings together individuals who are committed to contribute beyond conducting traditional research,” said Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director. The HPG’s foray into this unique breed of research “is aimed at bridging the evidence-practice policy gap on healthy ageing in Singapore,” added Dr Edward Tan, Senior Manager, Research Administration and HPG member.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSuch research involves going the extra mile. Leveraging GERI’s position as national research institute, the HPG’s work entails engaging stakeholders from across Singapore’s healthcare clusters and sectors, to square research evidence with hard questions—what aspects of potential policy could work and what would not, given factors such as older adults’ complex health and social needs and differing operating contexts. “After all, health policies can only be as useful as they are implementable,” observed Dr Tan.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200px-GERI-Health-Policy-Group-(Edited).jpg\" alt=\"GERI Health Policy Group \" style=\"margin:0px;vertical-align:middle;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003eGERI\u0027s Health Policy Group. From left to right: Dr Edward Tan, Dr Tan Woan Shin, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Dr Charlene Lau, Penny Lun and Dr Jonathan Gao.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnpacking policy possibilities for community-based frailty assessment​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs frailty spikes in Singapore, urgent policy questions are emerging about the best way to assess and manage the condition, especially at the community level. In support of the MOH Frailty Implementation Workgroup, the HPG has kicked off a multi-stage policy research effort on brief forms of geriatric assessment for older adults in the community.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe need for this arose due to a lack of local evidence regarding brief geriatric assessments in lieu of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessm​ents\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e(\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=29\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCGAs\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e). While CGAs are the gold standard in assessing older adults\u0027 bio-psycho-social needs including frailty levels, they are resource-intensive and pose challenges for community-wide implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first stage is an evidence synthesis of the existing knowledge landscape, which will guide questions posed to a Delphi panel, convened by GERI, to gather expert consensus and set priorities. Practitioners, as well as domain experts from acro​ss Singapore\u0027s healthcare clusters and professional societies, are part of this panel. To deliberate on the outcomes of the panel, the HPG will engage stakeholders and implementers from organisations ranging from Active Ageing Centres to policy bodies, with the goal of generating guidance for primary and community care practitioners.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Through engagements with experts and implementers, we hope to deliver what is known from the best available research evidence to our relevant stakeholders and catalyse meaningful changes in day-to-day practice and policies,\" said Dr Tan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInforming dementia policy through evidence-based research\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn step with the national push for community-based healthcare, GERI has also contributed towards a rapid review to identify brief screening tools for possible dementia in the community. The findings informed evidence-based decision-making by the Ministry of Health (MOH)\u0027s Dementia Policy Workgroup. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study team comprised of domain experts – geriatricians from across the three healthcare clusters, including GERI faculty – as well as methodology experts from the Singapore Clinical Research Institute. HPG member and Research Associate Penny Lun was part of the GERI team that supported the evidence synthesis and coordinated multi-institutional input. Read more \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=52\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehere\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReflecting on the importance of such work, Associate Professor Ding said, “Conducting health policy research and supporting evidence-informed policymaking are overlapping activities that have the potential of impacting population health in Singapore. They comprise a major component of GERI\u0027s efforts in the T4 (to population) tran​​slational stage.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It is my hope that the HPG\u0027s work will grow to be effective in addressing contemporary policy issues across Singapore\u0027s ageing landscape,\" he added.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/span\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"54","Month":"June","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=53","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/KPS%20Webinar%20Older%20Adults%2024%20May.png","ImageDescription":"KPS Webinar Making it Safe for Older Adults in Hospitals","Title":"Knowledge to Practice Series: Making it Safe for Older Adults in Hospitals: A Quality Paradigm (24 May 2024)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1719244800000)\/","Desp":"Our latest webinar brought together research aimed at improving the safety and care of older adults, by addressing challenges faced in the hospital setting. Topics discussed included modifiable risk factors of unplanned readmissions, inappropriate prescribing, and interventions that improve mobility during hospital stay. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaring for older adults in hospitals is complex and can be fraught with risks. Hospitalised older adults commonly face issues such as immobility, deconditioning, loss of independence, functional decline falls and polypharmacy.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgainst this backdrop, GERI’s latest webinar on “Making it Safe for Older Adults in Hospitals: A Quality Paradigm” brought together research by GERI and healthcare experts aimed at improving the safety and care of older adults, by addressing challenges faced in the hospital setting. Topics discussed included modifiable risk factors of unplanned readmissions, inappropriate prescribing, and interventions that improve mobility during hospital stay. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn his opening speech, Associate Professor Lim Wee Shiong, Joint Faculty, GERI and Director, Institute of Geriatrics and Active Ageing and Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, set the stage for an exploration of these topics.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe observed that hospitals, while intended to be safe environments for recovery, often pose risks of iatrogenesis—side effects which can arise from medical treatment. To address this, Associate Professor Lim touched on the 5Ms for Quality Geriatric Care—Mobility, Medications, Mentation, Multi-complexity, and Matters.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSharing findings from her research, GERI’s Research Associate June Teng presented a potential solution to improve appropriate prescribing for older adults in geriatric medicine outpatient clinics through the development of an intervention.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn a related presentation on the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications being prescribed to older adults in the United States, Ms Low Suat Fern, Principal Clinical Pharmacist (Geriatric Pharmacist Specialist), Yishun Community Hospital, stressed the need for undertaking medicines reconciliation upon hospital admission, followed by a detailed medical review to assess existing medications and disease states.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Melanie Tan, Adjunct Faculty, GERI and Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, shared findings from her study titled “Help Optimise and Mobilise Elders (H.O.M.E)”, which highlighted how mobilising older adults during their hospitalisation could improve their function, reducing risks of adverse outcomes. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd in a study which explored the causes of early readmission in older adults following acute hospital discharge, Associate Professor Laura Tay, Joint Faculty, GERI and Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Sengkang General Hospital, shared that depressive symptoms and malnutrition have been identified as key modifiable risk factors, and stressed the need for early identification of these factors to support targeted interventions during admission and post-discharge.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrganised by GERI, in collaboration with the Chapter of Geriatricians (Academy of Medicine Singapore) and the Society for Geriatric Medicine Singapore, the webinar gathered 246 participants from the Ministry of Health, the Agency for Integrated Care, various healthcare institutions, and more. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA synopsis of each presentation can be found in our Knowledge to Practice Series Webinar Brief: click \u003ca href=\"/Documents/KPS%20Brief_Making%20It%20Safe%20for%20Older%20Adults%20in%20Hospitals.pdf\"\u003ehere​\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClick \u003ca href=\"/Documents/Older%20Adults%20KPS%20Flyer.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e​ for the programme and speakers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor more information about the presentations, please email us at enquiry@geri.com.sg ​​​​​​\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"53","Month":"June","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=51","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200px_iStock-1170193951.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200px_iStock-1170193951.jpg","Title":"Enhancing Advance Care Planning implementation through evidence: Interview with Knowledge Translation Lead, Associate Professor James Low","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1715011200000)\/","Desp":"In this two-part feature series, Associate Professor James Low (Knowledge Translation Lead and Joint Faculty, GERI) shares his insights on working on GERI\u0027s first national knowledge exchange platform on Advance Care Planning (ACP) to enhance the way ACP is carried out in Singapore. Plus, why it is more important than ever to close the research-to-practice gap through implementation research and knowledge translation strategies.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:10px;\"\u003e.​\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eGERI has convened the Advance Care Planning (ACP) Quality Implementation (AQI) Knowledge Exchange Platform, in collaboration with the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC), to explore ways of adopting research evidence to enhance the implementation of ACP in Singapore. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eTogether with practitioners from three regional healthcare clusters, the community care and long-term care sector, and the Ministry of Health (MOH), the team is developing a framework and set of quality indicators aimed at raising standards and enabling quality implementation of ACP in real-world settings. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eIn this two-part feature series, \u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eAssociate Professor James Alvin Low (Knowledge Translation Lead and Joint Faculty, GERI)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e and \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003ePenny Lun (Research Associate, GERI)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003eshare their insider insights on working on the national-level AQI project, as well as closing the research-to-practice gap through implementation research and knowledge translation strategies. \u003cspan style=\"color:#0072c6;\"\u003eRead part one of this story below.​\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:8px;\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGERI: As GERI’s Knowledge Translation lead, could you share with us why closing the research-to-practice gap is more important than ever today, and especially so for matters relating to the older person in Singapore?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAssociate Professor James Low: \u003c/strong\u003eThere is an explosion of new scientific findings and discoveries taking place every day, in many disciplines and areas of human endeavour the world over. Healthcare is no exception. Unfortunately, much of this new information, knowledge or evidence will forever remain in the conceptual realm of the human mind, in the research labs, or remain entombed in medical journals. Lately, there has been a renewed interest in trying to make good use of some of the information and knowledge that has been synthesised, “mined” or “created”, and applying this in real-life settings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ultimate goal, truly, is to improve the lives of humans—and in GERI’s case, the older population. The key idea is to turn concepts, theories, research findings into real-life, real-time solutions for the betterment of the older human. GERI stands at the forefront of using implementation research and knowledge translation principles to achieve these ideals and quest.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/posts/geriatric-education-research-institute_acp2023-advancecareplanning-acpi2023-activity-7071352779855855616-vGx_/\"\u003epreviously observed\u003c/a\u003e ​​that two critical success factors to bridge the research-to-practice gap are to “obtain buy-in and cooperation from major stakeholders\" and the need for “continual efforts to showcase, share the methods, and impart understanding of knowledge translation with these stakeholders.\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is one useful take-away that you can share on how you and the team built up such buy-in and cooperation this past year?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor this platform, our major stakeholders were decision-makers and policymakers from organisations including the Agency for Integrated Care, the Ministry of Health and the three regional healthcare clusters. It was important to allow these major stakeholders to “take ownership\" of the platform and be the main party that crafts the strategic direction, goals and processes involved in the platform. This is because they are the movers and the shakers—we need buy-in from them in order to implement, maintain and sustain any knowledge translation efforts. GERI would act as the co-driver, enabler and catalyst for the platform.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Meet%20our%20researchers_Dr%20James_Quote%20banner.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe AQI Knowledge Exchange Platform is the first such platform that GERI\u0027s Knowledge Translation team has convened at a national level. From your perspective as a Core Group member, what are some key resources and knowledge that GERI, as a national institute, brought to this project?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe applied our knowledge translation and implementation research expertise and skills in guiding the major stakeholders. It was an interactive process that evolved as the project progressed and was adapted to the needs of the stakeholders. We also possessed some core knowledge of the whole ACP ecosystem and framework that helped us customise the platform accordingly.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe whole exercise was a new experience for the GERI team and much of methods devised were new and novel. We did not have many references or pre-existing models to follow or guide us. We went back to the science and evidence already in existence in the healthcare and medical literature, using that to guide and inform us on the barriers and enablers for good and quality ACP implementation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking ahead, what are your hopes for how the fruits of the AQI platform will “live on\" and sustain in different forms, following the conclusion of the platform\u0027s two-year run at end 2024?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe really hope that the National ACP Steering Committee and Office would be able to grow and sustain the seeds that have been planted with the help of GERI, on this journey of quality, value and excellence in this ACP ecosystem.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead the second part of this story \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=52\"\u003ehere​\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e, where our Research Associate, Penny Lun, dives into her work and process in supporting the AQI project and beyond, such as evidence synthesis to address health policy challenges.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"51","Month":"May","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=52","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200px_iStock-1802460878.png","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1200px_iStock-1802460878.png","Title":"Evidence-based research to impact health policy and practice: Interview with Research Associate, Penny Lun","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1715011200000)\/","Desp":"In this two-part feature series, Penny Lun (Research Associate, GERI) shares the nuts and bolts of applying implementation research strategies in support of GERI\u0027s first national knowledge exchange platform on Advance Care Planning (ACP). Plus, why rapid reviews are an important way to bring evidence to the table when making sense of pressing health policy challenges.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:10px;\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eGERI has convened the Advance Care Planning (ACP) Quality Implementation (AQI) Knowledge Exchange Platform, in collaboration with the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC), to explore ways of adopting research evidence to enhance the implementation of ACP in Singapore.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eTogether with practitioners from three regional healthcare clusters, the community care and long-term care sector, and the Ministry of Health (MOH), the team is developing a framework and set of quality indicators aimed at raising standards and enabling quality implementation of ACP in real-world settings.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eIn this two-part feature series, Associate Professor James Low (Knowledge Translation Lead and Joint Faculty, GERI) and Penny Lun (Research Associate, GERI) share their insider insights on working on the AQI project, as well as closing the research-to-practice gap through knowledge translation and implementation research strategies. \u003cspan style=\"color:#0072c6;\"\u003eRead part two of this story below.​\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:8px;\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGERI: In supporting the AQI workgroup, how have you tapped on your know-how as a researcher, to help your collaborators make sense of the barriers when it comes to ACP implementation in Singapore?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePenny Lun:\u003c/strong\u003e I became interested when I learnt that the team was using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to map barriers found in implementing ACP in Singapore. The TDF is a synthesis of 33 theories of behaviour and behaviour change organised into 14 domains. It is useful in systematically identifying influences that encourage or hinder behaviours, in order to point us to targeted, evidence-based implementation strategies and bring about behaviour change.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was very helpful in a previous GERI intervention development project I was on, related to addressing \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38500190/\"\u003epotentially inappropriate prescribing\u003c/a\u003e among older adults with multimorbidity, and I wanted to be part of the AQI team to contribute to the knowledge and learning.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe AQI project aims to improve the quality of implementing ACP in Singapore, which could improve the uptake of ACP. I was working with AIC colleagues to map the barriers, which was a challenging process due to the sheer number of barriers identified. It was a learning process, as we needed to contextualise the TDF domains from an ACP implementation angle. I drew on the experience I had as well as knowledge in the literature to understand and differentiate the concepts in each domain.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFortunately, our AIC colleagues\u0027 expertise in the subject matter complemented interpretations of the domains in context. This greatly helped in narrowing down the many barriers identified, which then enabled us to formulate a national survey for ACP facilitators and administrators that was detailed but yet manageable.  ​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Meet%20our%20researchers_Penny_Quote%20banner.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCould you share some reflections on your experience working with diverse stakeholders (hospital and community care partners, healthcare practitioners) and engaging with the workgroup?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003eI have enjoyed being part of the workgroup and meeting various stakeholders in the process. There were many opportunities to share the Knowledge Translation (KT) methodology adopted and our results with the core group, workgroup, and during an ACP Continuous Learning and Networking meeting. I also helped facilitate group discussions with a diverse community of ACP practitioners during a World Café* event organised by AIC, which exposed me to a new methodology that is both exploratory and engaging. All these experiences have enriched my journey as a researcher, especially on how to share complex or technical information with an audience with limited research backgrounds. One important point I have learned is the need to focus on the group goal(s) and to understand expectations of the stakeholders early on.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e*\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eA World Café is a conversation that encourages participants to engage in constructive dialogue around critical questions through a participatory engagement process (Fouché \u0026 Light 2011).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/AQI%20World%20Cafe%20Group%20Photos%202.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;vertical-align:middle;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePenny (second from right, first row) with other participants of the World Café. \u003cstrong\u003eImage courtesy of AIC.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn parallel, you have also been working with KT expert Dr Sharon E. Straus (​GERI Adjunct Faculty and Director of the Knowledge Translation Program, St Michael\u0027s Hospital, Canada​) to apply KT principles to the AQI project. What has this been like, and what are some insights you have gained about knowledge translation in Singapore’s context?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWorking with Dr Straus has been a delight; she is generous with sharing her vast experience and expertise in implementation science. For the AQI project, we adopted the \u003ca href=\"https://knowledgetranslation.net/implementation/our-approach/\"\u003eKnowledge-To-Action (KTA) model\u003c/a\u003e in the framework development process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKT involves working with relevant knowledge users when implementing a change, such as in adopting an evidence-based practice. It is especially important that knowledge users are involved from the beginning during the problem identification phase, and through to finding the appropriate solution or implementation strategy. This way, they are invested in the problem and are also in the best position to judge if a strategy is feasible and sustainable in the long run, if implemented. In addition, operationalising a specified strategy will also require their knowledge in context.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat said, changing practice is not an easy task. The healthcare professionals that I have had the privilege to work with are passionate about their work, wanting to do their best to improve patient care. However, many system- and organisation-level barriers exist, which would impact the feasibility and sustainability of an individual-level implementation strategy, should those barriers remain unaddressed. Nevertheless, giving knowledge users a voice in the change process today could be a first step to influencing higher-level changes in the future.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnother translation and evidence-centric project that you were also involved in was a \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=44\"\u003erapid review​\u003c/a\u003e to identify brief screening tools for possible dementia in the community, of which the results informed Singapore’s policy strategy for dementia screening. How did you support the multi-institution team in this project, and why do you think rapid reviews are a good way to help people make sense of pressing health challenges?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor this project, the domain experts are geriatricians from across the three healthcare clusters, including GERI faculty, of which three were the reviewers. I played a supporting role by coordinating collaborations between the domain experts and the methodology experts (from the Singapore Clinical Research Institute). Together with another colleague, we provided administrative support and facilitated the review process. For example, we reviewed relevant literature and drafted the first search strategy, as well as the protocol for circulation, with the study team for their input. We also helped to summarise some data and drafted part of the presentation deck. All this was completed in a relatively short amount of time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs this project was intended to answer a crucial and timely question that could impact policy decision-making, the rapid review is a good methodology to use. The rapid review is a systematic review condensed to accommodate the need for quicker evidence, without compromising on rigour. Under normal circumstances, a systematic review that typically takes a year to complete might be the preferred method. However, when a pressing issue emerges that has wider implications, such as COVID-19, a rapid review is helpful—when evidence is required within a short time frame for evidence-informed decision making, or in addressing a pressing health policy challenge.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead the first part of this story \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=51\"\u003ehere​\u003c/a\u003e, where we speak to our Knowledge Translation Lead, Associate Professor James Alvin Low, on his experiences as Core Group member of GERI’s first knowledge exchange platform bringing together leaders and practitioners in Advance Care Planning across Singapore.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"52","Month":"May","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=50","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/KPS%20Humanities%2022%20March%202024.png","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/KPS%20Humanities%2022%20March%202024.png","Title":"Knowledge to Practice Series: A Lesson in Holistic Care: Crossing the Chasm between the Humanities and Medicine (22 Mar 2024)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1714406400000)\/","Desp":"Integrating the humanities is essential for a holistic approach to patient care in today’s healthcare environment, particularly for designing health services that better meet the needs of older adults to facilitate healthy ageing. The research findings presented by GERI and its partners covered themes like clinician empathy, moral distress in advance care planning, person-centred compassionate care in the context of caring for frail older adults with dementia, and more. ​","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntegrating the humanities is essential for a holistic approach to patient care in today’s healthcare environment, particularly for designing health services that better meet the needs of older adults to facilitate healthy ageing. The research findings presented by GERI and its partners in the webinar covered themes like clinician empathy, moral distress in advance care planning, person-centred compassionate care in the context of caring for frail older adults with dementia, and more. ​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn his opening remarks, Associate Professor James Alvin Low, Knowledge Translation Lead, GERI, emphasised the importance of recognising the human element behind every medical case and touched on the concept of a holistic, person-centered approach to care, which is crucial for designing health services that better meet the needs of older adults in order to facilitate healthy ageing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e​​“We must know the person behind the illness before we can truly understand and manage the illness or disease behind the patient,” said Associate Professor Low. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e​Using the example of caring for frail seniors with dementia, Associate Professor Philip Yap, Adjunct Faculty, GERI, and Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, provided an overview of what person-centred compassionate care entailed and how it can be measured.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI shared its evidence-based contributions to medical humanities through the presentation “Scaling Empathy: Developing the Singapore Clinical Empathy Scale.” Recognising the absence of appropriate tools to measure clinician empathy, the study by Research Fellow Dr Yu Chou Chuen and Biostatistician Robin Choo detailed how they are developing a multi-dimensional empathy scale for local healthcare professionals and students. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd in a study that delved into factors contributing to moral distress faced by healthcare professionals in Advance Care Planning (ACP), Dr Raymond Ng, Adjunct Faculty, GERI, and Senior Consultant and Head, Palliative and Supportive Care, Department of Integrated Care, Woodlands Health, shared useful insights for the development of future training programmes. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother potential improvement around ACP was shared by Assistant Professor Lim Ni Eng, School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University. Through the study of approximately 40 video-recorded ACP sessions, he highlighted a few interactional junctures where the text-guided nature of ACP may conflict with the goal of fostering open dialogue and discussed how this could be addressed.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn his closing remarks, Professor Pang Weng Sun, Senior Advisor, GERI, stressed the need for linking the issues between humanities and healthcare to address the holistic needs of older individuals. “It’s very important that we do cross ​​​or try and cross this chasm,” he urged. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe KPS webinar attracted over 400 participants from the various medical and nursing schools, healthcare institutions and agencies involved in the care of older persons in acute and community care settings. It was organised in collaboration with the Chapter of Geriatricians (Academy of Medicine Singapore) and the Society for Geriatric Medicine Singapore. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClick \u003ca href=\"/Documents/A%20Lesson%20in%20Holistic%20Care%20Humanities%20and%20Healthcare%20KPS%20Flyer.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e for the full programme. ​​A synopsis of each presentation can also be found in our KPS Webinar Brief: click​ \u003ca href=\"/Documents/KPS%20Brief_A%20Lesson%20in%20Holistic%20Care_Crossing%20the%20Chasm%20between%20the%20Humanities%20and%20Healthcare.pdf\"\u003ehere​​\u003c/a\u003e.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor more information about the presentations, please email us at enquiry@geri.com.sg ​​​​​\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"50","Month":"April","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=49","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Edited_2024-02-29-Prof-Lavis-Prof-Ding-Prof-Lim.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Edited_2024-02-29-Prof-Lavis-Prof-Ding-Prof-Lim.jpg","Title":"Focus on health policy research: Professor John Lavis, International Scientific Advisor, visits GERI","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1710864000000)\/","Desp":"On 29 Feb and 1 Mar 2024, GERI welcomed its International Scientific Advisor, Professor John N. Lavis to the Institute’s offices to share in-person insights, meet with faculty and researchers, as well engage them on their health policy research projects on dementia and frailty. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn 29 Feb and 1 Mar 2024, GERI welcomed its International Scientific Advisor, Professor John N. Lavis to the Institute’s offices to share in-person insights, meet with faculty and researchers, as well engage them on their health policy research projects. Professor Lavis is a leading expert on evidence-informed policymaking. He directs Canada’s McMaster Health Forum and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Evidence-Informed Policy, and also co-leads the  Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges​.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring his visit, Professor Lavis addressed GERI researchers and staff on “Supporting Evidence-informed Policymaking: Building Capability and Starting Work”, where he shared best practices for supporting the production of timely research evidence to address policy challenges.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Prof-Lavis-visit-to-GERI_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px 0px;\" /\u003e\n      \u003cbr\u003e\n   \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfessor Lavis also sat down with GERI’s Health Policy Group researchers to discuss ways to deepen researcher-policymaker linkages and provide feedback on projects that the Group has tackled. These projects, which address some of Singapore’s critical policy challenges on dementia and frailty, include evidence syntheses on brief tools to identify possible dementia​ (\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=44\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003er\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eead more​\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e) and on short geriatric assessment tools—both aimed at older adults in the community.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Prof-Lavis-visit-to-GERI_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px 0px;\" /\u003e\n      \u003cbr\u003e\n   \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong the key concepts that emerged over the visit were timeliness and a desire for impact:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e​As policy cycles move quickly, clarity is needed from the onset in anticipating, hearing and scoping the policy question; systematically prioritising what needs to be addressed; identifying the best ways and people to address them, and supplying the research evidence to policymakers in a timely manner to match their tight operating timelines.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhat motivates his team at the Health Forum and the Commission, Professor Lavis noted, is impact. Even if policymakers may not make immediate use of the evidence, at least the information was brought to the decision-making table—a small but important step towards the development of better policy.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor more, click \u003c/em\u003e\n         \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=47\"\u003e\n            \u003cem\u003ehere\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cem\u003e to read our Q\u0026A with Professor Lavis on closing the gap between research evidence and decision-making in health policy.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"49","Month":"March","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=48","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/RF-interview-Chou-Chuen_Website-article-image.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/RF-interview-Chou-Chuen_Website-article-image.jpg","Title":"Meet our GERI Researchers | Dr Yu Chou Chuen","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1710259200000)\/","Desp":"We speak to our Research Fellow, Dr Yu Chou Chuen, about the psychological and social dimensions of ageing, how his experiences in policy settings have shaped his work at GERI, and his recipe for research success.","Content":"\u003cdiv\u003e \n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:13px;\"\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e \n            \u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:13px;\"\u003e\n               \u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\n                  \u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\n                     \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e \n            \u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\n               \u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\n                  \u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eDr Yu Chou Chuen is a Research Fellow at GERI. At present, his research focus is on bio-psycho-social approaches to healthcare and programme evaluation. He has been involved with various studies related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also has research interests in advance care planning and advancing end-of-life care. He holds a PhD in Psychology and is an associate faculty at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e \n            \u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\n               \u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\n                  \u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eWe speak to Dr Yu about the psychological and social dimensions of ageing, how his experiences in policy settings have shaped his work at GERI, and his recipe for research success.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\n            \u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e \n               \u003cstrong\u003eYour academic background lies in psychology. How did you come into the study of ageing issues and why does this field interest you?​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            \n               One of my interests in psychology is the scientific study of perceptions and attitudes, a​nd so I am happy that I can apply my skills and knowledge and contribute to the gerontological field. It was happenstance that peers in my PhD programme introduced me to this field and I am grateful for that, given how much I have enjoyed my work at GERI.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n             \n               \u003cstrong\u003ePrior to joining GERI, you were a researcher and analyst at various government agencies. How have these experiences in policy settings shaped the way you approach your research at GERI?​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            Prior to joining GERI, I had the opportunity to work at the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Communications and Information​​ and the Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office. These experiences allowed me to appreciate the importance of pragmatism in research—essentially, we approach research based ​on practical considerations, rather than theoretical ones. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            I also learnt about the need to communicate complex research findings in simple terms, for instance, making highly technical research findings accessible to an intended audience. Such experiences guide me in my thinking when it comes to engaging with our stakeholders or designing studies at GERI. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n             \n               \u003cstrong\u003eYou have led research on \n                  \u003ca href=\"https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-021-02735-3\"\u003eadvance care planning\u003c/a\u003e and \n                  \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1143640\"\u003eCOVID-19 and stigma\u003c/a\u003e—why is this work important to you? What are your hopes for how your work could aid broader efforts to manage the growing care needs of Singapore’s older adults?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            Research involving older adults during the pandemic brought home the message that advancing care of older adults involves not only biomedical aspects, but also psychological and social factors. This became apparent to me in our study on COVID-19 vaccination decisions where interpersonal influences played a big role in shaping older adults’ medical choices, and also various attitudinal-related studies in advance care planning that I am involved in. A transdisciplinary approach, bringing together medicine, humanities and perspectives beyond, is therefore needed. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            I believe researchers trained in social sciences can play an important role not only from a methodological standpoint, but also contribute ideas and offer recommendations to manage the growing care needs of Singapore’s older adults.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n             \n               \u003cstrong\u003eYou are active in the conference scene. Some of your contributions include serving on the Scientific Committee of the 8th International Conference on Advance Care Planning (ACP-i) 2023, and as an invited speaker at the 8th Singapore Palliative Care Conference 2023. What are your thoughts on the broader endeavour of disseminating research?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            Conferences are a good way for us to disseminate our findings to the healthcare community since busy professionals may not have the time to read the many manuscripts that they receive! In addition to networking opportunities, I think conferences serve as a melting pot of ideas and inspiration not only for conducting but​ translating research too. Having said that, I think there are other effective approaches beyond conferences, for instance, through research briefs, technical reports and even through social media or delivering a lecture.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n             \n               \u003cstrong\u003eYou have been involved in some exciting collaborations with international researchers, such as with palliative care expert Professor Marie Bakitas, as well as clinician-scientist Dr Sharon Straus from the Knowledge Translation Program, Canada. What did you find most rewarding?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            I think what stood out for me about the experts I have met is the dedication and passion they have towards the field they are in! It’s infectious (no pun intented). I have also learnt about their thought processes and the multi-level approach they take in unpacking an issue using different lenses, such as scientific, societal and also lay perspectives. I am also quite impressed by their work ethic, putting in long hours and effort towards the scientific cause that they are pursuing, something that I feel I should do more of!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n             \n               \u003cstrong\u003e“Teacher-mentor” is one of the many hats that you wear both in GERI and beyond. What advice do you have for aspiring researchers or those starting out?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            Over the years, I have worked with various researchers in GERI and I hope I have managed to impart some of the hard and soft skills essential for them to successfully navigate the research path. I think this is a way that more senior researchers can play a part in contributing back to the ecosystem, having benefited from good mentorship themselves. From another angle, I think playing a teaching role is important, especially for a senior researcher, as I find it helps me to hone my communication skills and keep my research knowledge updated too.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n            For researchers starting out, I have the following three pieces of advice:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \n         \u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n               If all you have is a knife, you can only slice. So build up your kitchenware of research methodology.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n               Know your recipe, but be imaginative and adaptive, since the season may not be in your favour or you may not have the right ingredients to address the research question.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n               \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eMany things can go wrong. Preparing for research is like cooking. Just a little more heat or seasoning can ruin the meal. Therefore, be extremely thorough at all stages of the research process.​\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications, Dr Yu Chou Chuen","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"48","Month":"March","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=47","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI-Prof-John-Lavis-Q%26A_Website-article.png","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI-Prof-John-Lavis-Q%26A_Website-article.png","Title":"Health policy, made better with evidence: Q\u0026A with Professor John Lavis","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1708876800000)\/","Desp":"Every day, health policymakers are called upon to make decisions that impact systems, services and lives. Ideally, these decisions should be illuminated by relevant and quality research evidence. How, then, can the linkages between evidence and health policy be optimised? Professor John N. Lavis, Director of the McMaster Health Forum and International Scientific Advisor to GERI, shares some expert insights in this quick Q\u0026A.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e​​​Image: iStock​​\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEvery day, health policymakers are called upon to make decisions that impact systems, services and lives. Ideally, these decisions should be illuminated by relevant and quality research evidence. How, then, can the linkages between evidence and health policy be optimised? Professor John N. Lavis, Director of the McMaster Health Forum and International Scientific Advisor to GERI, shares some expert insights in this quick Q\u0026A.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e​Policymaking is dynamic and contextual, presenting windows of opportunity for the use of research evidence to raise the bar on how decisions are made and followed through. Specifically, evidence-informed policymaking has emerged as “an approach to policy decisions that aims to ensure that decision-making is well-informed by the best available research evidence\".\u003csup\u003e[1]\u003c/sup\u003e Through this, health policies and interventions can become more effective, efficient and equitable, ensuring that limited healthcare resources are better utilised.\u003csup\u003e[2]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Singapore approaches super-aged status, the attendant surge in related health and social challenges and increased demands on the healthcare system further underscore the need to optimise linkages between research evidence and spheres of policy and practice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecognising this, GERI is building on its translational ageing research by expanding its work in health policy research to support evidence-informed policymaking. Professor John Lavis, a leading global authority in this domain, has been working with GERI as the Institute\u0027s International Scientific Advisor, providing capacity-building to researchers involved in ongoing projects to inform national strategies on frailty and dementia in the community.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/LinkedIn-quote_Health-Policy-research_Prof-John-Lavis-GERI_2.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfessor Lavis directs Canada’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.mcmasterforum.org/\"\u003eMcMaster Health Forum​\u003c/a\u003e and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Evidence-Informed Policy, and co-leads the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mcmasterforum.org/networks/evidence-commission\"\u003eGlobal Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges​\u003c/a\u003e. He brings to GERI his extensive expertise in supporting policymakers and stakeholders to harness research evidence, citizen values and stakeholder insights to strengthen health and social systems and get the right programmes, services and products to the people who need them.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAhead of his upcoming visit to GERI, we caught up with Professor Lavis for a quick Q\u0026A.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e​GERI: It has been 15 years since you founded the McMaster Health Forum. Why are you passionate about working in this intersection of research and policy? What keeps you going?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProfessor John Lavis: \u003c/strong\u003eConducting high-quality research on its own isn’t enough to influence the ‘big bang’ decisions made by government policymakers or the 1,001 smaller decisions that determine whether the right mix of programmes, services and products equitably get to all those who need them. We need evidence-support mechanisms* that are aligned to advisory and decision-making processes\u003csup\u003e^\u003c/sup\u003e and to learning and improvement platforms. The Global Evidence Commission, which I co-lead, is working hard to promote such mechanisms. In \u003ca href=\"https://www.mcmasterforum.org/docs/default-source/evidence-commission/update-2024.pdf?sfvrsn=a426d022_5\"\u003eUpdate 2024\u003c/a\u003e, you can read about the many ways that we’re building momentum for a step-change improvement. The prospect of making impacts like those we’re now pushing for is what keeps me going.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;color:#444444;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e*\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eThese are mechanisms that reliably get whatever forms of existing research evidence needed to answer a given question into the hands of those who need it, when they need it, with any required caveats about its currency (or recency), quality and local applicability.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e [3] This differs from the traditional research system, which is focused on knowledge creation. [4]\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#444444;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e^Examples of advisory and decision-making processes include ministerial briefings, cabinet submissions and budget proposals. [5]\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#444444;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat do you think are the main obstacles and enablers in closing the gap between research evidence and decision-making in health policy?​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI don’t tend to think about obstacles because much of what is cited as obstacles are features of a robust democracy, such as politicians having to work within institutional constraints, contend with interest group pressure, reflect the values of their governing party and constituents, and respond to events outside the health sector. The enablers are things like advisory and decision-making processes that have explicit standards for how multiple streams of evidence flow to and are integrated for them, and appointments to advisory processes being made in a way that ensures a mix of subject-matter expertise, evidence-methods expertise, and lived experience. You can read more about this in \u003ca href=\"https://www.mcmasterforum.org/docs/default-source/evidence-commission/update-2024.pdf?sfvrsn=a426d022_5\"\u003eUpdate 2024\u003c/a\u003e.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn your view, does the field of ageing research in particular bring with it any special challenges and opportunities?​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeople often think that their area of focus – a sector (like primary care), a category of conditions (like cancer, heart disease or frailty), a category of treatments (like prescription drugs) or population (like the elderly) – is somehow unique. And no doubt some factors matter a bit more, and others a bit less. But to me the \u0027challenges\u0027 tend to be fairly common, and the opportunities are always around the next corner.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn your role as GERI\u0027s scientific advisor, you have been speaking with and providing your expertise to our researchers who are engaged in health policy research. How has that been like?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003eIt has been fascinating to hear about the types of questions that GERI researchers have about supporting evidence-informed policymaking. I\u0027ve learned a lot from reading the questions and preparing for our virtual sessions. I\u0027m really looking forward to meeting the team in person so we can have more interactive discussions. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI-health-policy-reading-group_Small.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;vertical-align:middle;\" /\u003e​​\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20health%20policy%20reading%20group_Small.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003eReferences\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e[1] \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://health-policy-systems.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1478-4505-7-S1-S1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003eOxman AD, Lavis JN, Lewin S, Fretheim A. SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed health Policymaking (STP) 1: What is evidence-informed policymaking? \u003cem\u003eHealth Res Policy Syst.\u003c/em\u003e 2009 Dec 16;7 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S1.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e[2] \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240039872\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003eSwaminathan S. Foreword. \u003cem\u003eEvidence, policy, impact. WHO guide for evidence-informed decision-making\u003c/em\u003e. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e[3] \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.mcmasterforum.org/docs/default-source/evidence-commission/update-2024.pdf?sfvrsn=a426d022_5\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003eGlobal Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges. \u003cem\u003eGlobal Evidence Commission update 2024: Building momentum in strengthening domestic evidence-support systems, enhancing the global evidence architecture, and putting evidence at the centre of everyday life\u003c/em\u003e. Hamilton: McMaster Health Forum, 2024.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e[4] \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.mcmasterforum.org/docs/default-source/evidence-commission/update-2023.pdf?sfvrsn=e81cbf_14\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003eGlobal Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges. \u003cem\u003eEvidence Commission update 2023: Strengthening domestic evidence-support systems, enhancing the global evidence architecture, and putting evidence at the centre of everyday life.\u003c/em\u003e Hamilton: McMaster Health Forum, 2023.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e[5] Ibid.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"47","Month":"February","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=46","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/00_Intro.png","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/00_Intro.png","Title":"Frailty, intrinsic capacity, functional ability: Linkages and implications for healthy ageing in Singapore","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1706112000000)\/","Desp":"How do these concepts in ageing relate to and complement each other? What are the implications for health policy and practice? GERI\u0027s Executive Director, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, shared three key ideas to distil wide-ranging research on this topic at the Duke-NUS Centre for Ageing Research and Education Experts Webinar held on 19 Jan 2024.\n","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e​All images courtesy of Duke-NUS CARE.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMaintaining functional ability, as well as preventing and managing frailty and declines in intrinsic capacity (one\u0027s physical and mental reserves)—these are some crucial ingredients in the recipe for living and ageing well.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow, then, do these three concepts relate to and complement each other? How can their linkages help to advance healthy ageing in Singapore and impact health policy and practice?\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the Duke-NUS Centre for Ageing Research and Education (CARE) Experts Webinar held on 19 Jan 2024, GERI\u0027s Executive Director, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, shared three key ideas to distil wide-ranging research on this topic:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \"Along the trajectory of an older person\u0027s health and well-being, intrinsic capacity and frailty take on different significances.\"\u003c/strong\u003e Intrinsic capacity is useful for health promotion efforts when community-dwelling older adults are still in good health. Frailty becomes more useful in guiding care efforts for older adults in health systems, when their health is in decline.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Strengthening both intrinsic capacity and external environments can prevent declines in functional ability.\"\u003c/strong\u003e In addition to maintaining their physical and mental reserves, older adults need supportive environments – which can take the form of caregiving, helpful technology and more – to continue doing the things that matter to them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Ultimately, systematic and intentional knowledge translation is needed to create research impact and change.\"\u003c/strong\u003e For GERI, our Knowledge Translation Framework and four nodes of knowledge creation, dissemination, exchange and implementation seek to overcome the research-to-practice gap.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003eFor more highlights from the webinar, view the full webinar recording \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/CAREdukenus/videos/906791487399234/\"\u003ehere​\u003c/a\u003e. ​​​\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/01_Idea%201.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;width:1200px;\" /\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/02_Idea%202.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;width:1200px;\" /\u003e​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/03_Idea%203.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;width:1200px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"46","Month":"January","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=45","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-1182602072-GERI%20Website%20article.jpg","ImageDescription":"iStock image of HDB communities in Singapore","Title":"Translating research into well-being: The need for communities and collaboration","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1704297600000)\/","Desp":"To make an impact on communities and vulnerable groups, it is crucial to understand their health and social needs as well as priorities. We speak to Professor May Wang, senior faculty at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and Adjunct Faculty at GERI, about community-based participatory research and working across disciplinary siloes—all for the larger goal of improving population health and well-being.","Content":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cem style=\"text-align:center;font-size:11px;color:#666666;\"\u003e​Image: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eProfessor May C. Wang is a \u003ca href=\"https://ph.ucla.edu/about/faculty-staff-directory/may-c-wang\" target=\"_blank\"\u003esenior faculty member\u003c/a\u003e at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, an Adjunct Faculty at GERI and has held visiting professor appointments at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH). She has interests and expertise in transdisciplinary research and training. Trained in nutritional sciences, community nutrition and nutritional epidemiology, she leads interdisciplinary teams on research aiming to address food insecurity in vulnerable populations throughout the life-course.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eIn collaboration with NUS SSHSPH, Professor Wang was in-residence at GERI as a visiting expert to share her wealth of experience in working with communities. We sat down with Professor Wang to discuss the need to go deeper in involving communities in research, to understand their lived experiences and to work collaboratively beyond siloes—all for the larger goal of impacting health and well-being.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e​When Professor May Wang was a graduate student, she once interned at a clinic that provided nutrition education to low-income expecting mothers. One day, a heavily pregnant woman walked in covered with bruises inflicted by her husband.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a then-trainee nutritionist, Professor Wang\u0027s main job was to provide dietary advice. In that moment, however, she knew that she could not simply follow the rulebook.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I had the good sense not to talk to her about nutrition and tell her how she should feed her baby. She wanted to be referred to a shelter, but nobody knew where. In what was supposed to be my 10-minute interview with her, I spent 45 minutes just calling different people before I found a place that could help her,\" she recalled.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat incident served as a microcosm of what it meant to understand the real priorities and needs of vulnerable communities in a holistic sense, so that the right resources could reach them and help them.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In public health, we define health not only as the absence of disease, but as well-being,\" said Professor Wang.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The ultimate goal is to improve the health and well-being of people. Nutrition, or whatever we specialise in, is just a means to that. That is the subtle difference between really caring about having population health impact, versus simply staying in our own specialised streams.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/LinkedIn-quote_CER_Prof-May-Wang-GERI.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;width:1000px;\" /\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInvolving communities in research—and doing it right​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCommunity-engaged research (CER) is the process of incorporating input from community stakeholders whom the research will impact and involving them in the research process.\u003csup\u003e[1]\u003c/sup\u003e CER approaches lie on a continuum with varying degrees of engagement.​​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe misconception, Professor Wang says, is that many researchers may think that they are already doing deep community-engaged research when their forays into the community are often just surface-level.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“So you could go out of your clinic, into the community, and say, \u0027I am doing community-engaged research!\u0027 Or, you could say that you are giving out education materials and \u0027working\u0027 in the community. That is not all of it,\" observed Professor Wang.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I have been very vocal in the last few years about the need for community-engaged research done correctly. And that means identifying the community stakeholders and engaging them appropriately, often from the very beginning of the research process,\" she added.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAsking the right questions to avoid “rubbish in, rubbish out\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEnter: Community-based participatory research (CBPR), an approach on the CER continuum that includes all community stakeholders and partners equitably in the research project, so that each partner\u0027s unique expertise informs the research, from conception to dissemination.\u003csup\u003e[2]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCBPR is important because in working with communities, researchers cannot always assume that they know these populations well and are able to appreciate their needs. Instead, researchers need to dig deeper to get a better handle of the things that really matter, in order to ask the right research questions. CBPR lends itself well to this task.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If you are not asking the right questions, you think you have identified the barriers, but you have not gotten to the bottom of what is really affecting people\u0027s lives. Some of these things are so sensitive that you cannot just put it in a question and check a box. It may not even be on the questionnaire, because you did not think to ask it,\" she explained.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn that scenario, even the most rigorous of statistical models will not generate meaningful findings. “This is where it becomes \u0027rubbish in, rubbish out\u0027,\" she quipped.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We need to want to make sure that our research is actually relevant, can be used and can be translated.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCBPR: You cannot go it alone\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite its merits, many researchers have been slow to adopt the CBPR approach. The reasons for this, Professor Wang observes, are often structural.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor example, some quantitative researchers may question its rigour. However, Professor Wang points out that CBPR can actually help researchers explore and identify the right research questions, which can be eventually used to inform the development of more rigorous surveys and quantitative sampling designs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConnecting the dots to translate research findings requires collaboration amongst a variety of partners – such as clinicians, community workers and public health professionals – but the siloes that exist among disciplines can present a challenge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We often work in our own fields and struggle to work effectively with each other in an integrated way. This is one barrier to our (efforts at) translating knowledge more efficiently,\" she opined. “We need to work across disciplines and sectors more efficiently and effectively in order to be able to solve some of the world\u0027s very complex problems.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfessor Wang is seeking to change this and is passionate about helping young researchers from different disciplines to learn to communicate and work better with each other. She co-leads a \u003ca href=\"https://ph.ucla.edu/community-collaboration/action-advocacy-training-programs/california-pathways-public-health-0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003etraining programme\u003c/a\u003e funded by the National Institutes of Health (USA), designed to bring together researchers from across various disciplines. The programme helps trainees apply systems and data science methods, using a community-engaged research approach, to accelerate the translation of research.​​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGoing further in working with communities: Advice for researchers\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn her time with GERI as a visiting expert, Professor Wang engaged and mentored faculty and researchers to share her knowledge on community-engaged research and evaluation, as well as stakeholder engagement.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I think there is a real interest and earnestness to want to do something that has population impact. This has come across consistently from all the people I have spoken to here,\" she said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor researchers who want to go deeper into CER but feel daunted, Professor Wang offers some suggestions—starting with the self. “CBPR is a different way of thinking about intervention research. It is hard, because it requires humility and acknowledging that a shift in research paradigm may be needed,\" she said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Researchers do not need to have all the skills right away. Often, it takes years of experience – and making mistakes – to appreciate, value and apply the CBPR approach to intervention research. Collaborating with other researchers who are more experienced in working with communities is helpful, if not critical.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to bringing in the right collaborators, it is also important for researchers to feel confident and supported when they push for more research that truly engages more communities, and not be seen as less rigorous.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“People are drawn to the profession of public health for different reasons. For those interested in addressing health disparities, and promoting health and well-being for every segment of the population, it is important to not lose sight of the need to ensure that interventions reach all, including vulnerable communities,\" she urged.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:#666666;font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:#666666;font-size:12px;\"\u003eReferences\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#666666;\"\u003e[1] \u003c/span\u003e\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://medicine.yale.edu/intmed/genmed/eric/cbprguidebook/whatiscer/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003eWhat is Community Engaged Research (CER)?\" Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), Yale School of Medicine (yale.edu)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#666666;\"\u003e[2] \u003c/span\u003e\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://healthycommunities.ucr.edu/what-community-engaged-research\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWhat is Community-Engaged Research?\" Center for Healthy Communities, University of California Riverside School of Medicine (ucr.edu)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e​\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"45","Month":"January","Year":"2024"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=44","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dementia-KPS-24-Nov-2023_GERI-Website_Wide.jpg","ImageDescription":"Knowledge to Practice Series: Dementia Care across the Continuum – Multi-dimensional Peek into the Unknown (24 Nov 2023)","Title":"Knowledge to Practice Series: Dementia Care across the Continuum – Multi-dimensional Peek into the Unknown (24 Nov 2023)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1701964800000)\/","Desp":"As efforts to build a dementia-ready Singapore gather steam, GERI brought together researchers, clinicians, community care partners and policymakers for a critical and expansive stock-take of the gaps and opportunities in dementia management and care, as part of the Institute’s Knowledge-to-Practice Series. Topics covered included dementia screening, person-centered long-term care, end-of-life prognostication and caregiver support. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11px;\"\u003e​​​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs efforts to build a dementia-ready Singapore gather steam, GERI brought together researchers, clinicians, community care partners and policymakers for a critical and expansive stock-take of the gaps and opportunities in dementia management and care, as part of the Institute’s Knowledge to Practice Series (KPS). ​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrganised in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH), Chapter of Geriatricians and Society for Geriatric Medicine, the KPS webinar drew over 500 participants from policy divisions as well as primary, acute and community care sectors. Topics covered included dementia screening, person-centered long-term care, end-of-life prognostication and caregiver support. Click \u003ca href=\"/Documents/Dementia%20Care%20Across%20the%20Continuum%20KPS%20Flyer%20(24%20Nov%202023).pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e for the full programme. ​​A synopsis of each presentation can also be found in our KPS Webinar Brief: click​ \u003ca href=\"/Documents/KPS%20Brief_Dementia%20Care%20Across%20the%20Continuum%20(24%20Nov%202023).pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere​\u003c/a\u003e.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn his opening remarks, Associate Professor Dan Yock Young, Deputy Director-General of Health, Health Services Group, MOH, laid out the Ministry’s three-prong approach in supporting the overall well-being of persons living with dementia (PLWDs): First, strengthening prevention and early detection of dementia; next, building up the capacity of community and long-term care services; and third, enhancing support for caregivers of PLWDs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It is important that even as we embark on many of these initiatives, we would need to work more closely with our research community, to develop innovative solutions (so as) to improve dementia prevention, detection, diagnosis and management,” said Associate Professor Dan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInforming dementia policy through evidence-based research\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI’s evidence-based contributions towards Singapore’s dementia strategy was highlighted in the presentation “A Rapid Review of Brief Diagnostic Tools to Identify Possible Dementia among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Singapore”, delivered by Dr Lim Jun Pei, Consultant, Geriatric Medicine and Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Translation Lead, Institute of Geriatrics and Active Ageing.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe rapid review synthesised available evidence in Singapore to determine which brief screening tools could be used to identify potential dementia at the community level, as well as ascertain their diagnostic performance. Rapid reviews, Dr Lim explained, effectively answer urgent and emergent health issues in a manner that is relevant and useful for knowledge users, such as policymakers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study team comprised of domain experts – including GERI faculty – from all three healthcare clusters, as well as methodology experts from the Singapore Clinical Research Institute. GERI researchers supported the review team in conducting the evidence synthesis. The findings will serve to inform evidence-based decision-making by the MOH dementia policy workgroup, on Singapore’s strategy for dementia identification in the community.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGaps and opportunities: Experts weigh in   \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWorking upstream to address dementia and supporting carers emerged as key themes during the hour-long expert panel discussion, moderated by Associate Professor Philip Yap, GERI Adjunct Faculty, and Senior Consultant, Geriatric Medicine, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpeaking during the panel discussion, Associate Professor Reshma Merchant, GERI Adjunct Faculty and also the Head of Division and Senior Consultant, Geriatric Medicine at the National University Hospital, observed that efforts to address dementia often take place “in the CPR mode” in the face of advanced disease, with medicine serving as “a small silver bullet”. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInstead, she identified more possible points for upstream intervention: diversifying settings for early detection of cognitive impairment; paying closer attention to environmental design and taking a generational approach to relationship-building between PLWDs and their communities, such as by integrating dementia education into the school curriculum.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAssociate Professor Merchant also pointed to the potential of \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=26\"\u003ethe WHO Integrated Care of Older Persons framework​\u003c/a\u003e, which offers easy-to-execute tests to assess older adults’ hearing, vision and mobility, thereby helping to identify those at risk of cognitive decline at a much earlier stage.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn acting earlier to address dementia, Mr Jason Foo, Chief Executive Officer of Dementia Singapore, observed that older adults are often reluctant to visit hospitals for a diagnosis and appointments at memory clinics often take time to secure. Getting more primary care providers on board could boost timely diagnosis and enable interventions to be applied as soon as possible, said Mr Foo.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe panellists also called for the systematic and holistic support of caregivers and care providers of PLWDs. Ms See Yen Theng, Chief of the Caregiving and Community Mental Health Division at the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), identified capability building of community care partners as a key focus. This entailed equipping them with the necessary skillsets, whilst also creating platforms for them to cross-share best practices and learn from one another.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeyond shoring up caregiving skillsets, Dr Chan Ee Yuee, GERI Adjunct Faculty and Deputy Director of Nursing at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, also highlighted the need to help carers to build up their mental and psychological reserves, so that they would be able to sustain long-term caregiving.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDementia: A cross-cutting challenge \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgainst the backdrop of dementia’s growing prevalence, as well as its social and economic implications, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI, noted that the stakes are high. For GERI’s part, it would continue to engage in relevant knowledge creation on dementia, conducting collaborative research with partners, and bridging research evidence into targeted spheres of policy and practice in a timely way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=43\"\u003eConcluding the webinar​\u003c/a\u003e, Associate Professor Ding said, “Dementia is one cross-cutting health and social challenge, and so we need players from all diverse sectors and disciplines to come together to the table for meaningful dialogue, collaboration and finally, action.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor more information about the presentations, please email us at enquiry@geri.com.sg \u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"44","Month":"December","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=38","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dr-Tou-Nien-Xiang-Research-Fellow-GERI_GERI-website.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dr-Tou-Nien-Xiang-Research-Fellow-GERI_GERI-website.jpg","Title":"Meet our GERI Researchers | Dr Tou Nien Xiang","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1701792000000)\/","Desp":"We speak to our Research Fellow, Dr Tou Nien Xiang, about why he believes exercise is medicine that transcends age and health barriers, and his ongoing work with community partners and practitioners to identify and tackle real-world challenges in ageing.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cbr style=\"font-size:4px;\"\u003e\n   \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:\"segoe ui\", tahoma;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eDr To​​u Nien Xiang is a Research Fellow at GERI. He obtained his PhD in sports and exercise science from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His current research focuses on the uptake of physical activity in older adults to promote active ageing. He is also a data enthusiast and is passionate about using data to gain insights and solve problems.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:\"segoe ui\", tahoma;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eWe speak to Dr Tou about why he believes exercise is medicine that transcends age and health barriers, and his ongoing work with community partners and practitioners to identify and tackle real-world challenges in ageing.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003eYour academic background lies in sports science. How did you come into the study of ageing issues and why does this field interest you?​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch is like solving a giant jigsaw puzzle, and as a researcher, I enjoy answering questions, testing hypotheses and solving problems through empirical evidence. Ultimately, I hope to make a meaningful impact and contribution to society through my work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiven the global problem of physical inactivity and its adverse effects on health outcomes, I am particularly interested in leveraging my background in exercise and sports science to make a meaningful contribution in promoting physical activity in our population. Particularly, promoting physical activity in older adults is of paramount importance. I strongly believe that exercise is medicine, and this is especially true when it comes to ageing. Ageing is a marathon that we are all running, and I hope my research can help everyone stay ahead in the race.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003eYour research activities with GERI have certainly been diverse—for example, from traversing various Senior Activity Centres in the community, to conducting evidence synthesis on dementia to inform policymakers. What have you found rewarding about doing such community-based and health policy research?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is important for research findings to be translated into practice and policy to make an impact. Through my work in GERI, I recognise the importance of engagement with key stakeholders to achieve this. Working closely with community partners helps me to better understand and identify real-world problems that need to be addressed. Personally, I also believe that health policies should be evidence-based. While I am cognisant that policymaking is multifaceted, I hope my contribution through my research plays a part in the process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough it can be challenging at times, the most rewarding part of such work is learning how our research has made a positive impact on the lives of older adults. For example, we recently conducted a study on the implementation of an exercise intervention for older adults based on \u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=ieGhyplLusQ\"\u003eBaduanjin, a form of traditional Chinese Qigong exercise​\u003c/a\u003e. It was heartening when older adults who took part in this study gave me feedback that they enjoyed the exercise programme, which our study has found to be a feasible and safe form of exercise for frail older adults in our community.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003eYou recently co-authored \n         \u003ca href=\"https://journals.lww.com/ajpmr/fulltext/2023/10000/effects_of_exercise_interventions_on_physical.16.aspx\"\u003ea journal paper\u003c/a\u003e that affirms the potential benefits of using simple exercise equipment, like weights, to improve strength and balance among the oldest-old (\u003e79 years old) and frail. Why focus on this particular subgroup of older adults, for whom physical activity often takes a backseat due to other health stressors?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe lifespan of humans is increasing, and many older adults are living past 80 years of age. In fact, some people suggest that 80 is the new 60! As lifespan increases, increasing the healthspan – or years lived in good health – of this group of oldest-old adults is also critical. While it may be inevitable that frailty, sarcopenia* or disability sets in with age, we can delay such phenomena with healthy lifestyle behaviours such as exercising.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrailty and/or old age are not contraindications to exercise, but reasons to do so. Our review results suggest that this specific older population group could still reap benefits from exercise interventions involving minimal equipment. Thus, this echoes the need for older adults to continue exercising regardless of age and conditions to promote healthy ageing.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e*Frailty refers to an overall loss in physical and health reserves that increases a person\u0027s vulnerability, while sarcopenia is a condition that specifically refers to a loss of muscle mass and strength.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e​\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003eMore generally, given your work in this area, what would you say to an older family member who is apprehensive or skeptical about exercise?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis may sound cliché, but the saying does hold true: The best time to start was yesterday, and the next best time is now! Coming back to what I said earlier, I strongly believe that exercise is medicine because it is anti-ageing. Currently, there are no approved drugs to treat age-related conditions such as frailty and sarcopenia. However, existing empirical evidence has all pointed towards exercise as a robust intervention to maintain and improve functional independence in older adults. It is never too late or too old to start. Regardless of our age and health conditions, most of us can always reap the numerous health benefits of exercise and physical activity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003eYour work at GERI has allowed you to work closely with faculty and practitioners who are domain experts in areas ranging from rehabilitation medicine, frailty to population health. How has that been like?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrior to joining GERI, I came from a more academic research background in which I mostly collect data through experiments in laboratory settings. Special mention to Associate Professor Wee Shiou Liang, Associate Professor Ng Tze Pin and Dr Charlene Lau for acquainting me with community-based research. Since then, it has influenced my perspective towards research, and I learnt to see impact beyond the typical scientific publications.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI am privileged to work together with colleagues and faculty members from diverse backgrounds in GERI. Each of them brings their unique expertise and perspectives to the table. Ageing and health issues are often multifaceted; for example, frailty alone could be differentiated across physical, cognitive and social forms. Such diversity fuels innovation and stimulates us to think about research questions through different lenses. I am also thankful to learn many things in domain knowledge and methodologies in the process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003eWhat do you like to do in your spare time that helps protect against functional decline?​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy motivation to be a researcher stems from my interest to work with data. Outside of work, I enjoy learning statistics, data science and R programming language. The best way to do so is by trying to apply what I learn. I maintain a personal blog in which I document some of my personal data projects and I also write about coding and sports science-related topics. I hope this helps me in mitigating cognitive decline! Physical activity-wise, I am an avid runner. I enjoy running long distances while tuning in to a good podcast. It is a great way to learn something new and pump your heart at the same time!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications, Dr Tou Nien Xiang","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"38","Month":"December","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=43","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-458969087_1200x800.jpg","ImageDescription":"Image: iStock","Title":"Closing Remarks by Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI at the Knowledge to Practice Webinar on Dementia Care Across the Continuum (24 Nov 23)","Category":"Speeches","Releasedate":"\/Date(1700755200000)\/","Desp":"Bringing together experts and stakeholders from across various fields, GERI\u0027s most comprehensive webinar on dementia to-date sparked some critical yet much-needed conversations surrounding the gaps and opportunities in dementia detection, management and care in Singapore.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:11px;color:#666666;\"\u003e​Image: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistinguished colleagues, partners, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being a part of GERI’s fourth and final Knowledge-to-Practice webinar for 2023. I am sure you would all agree that we had rich content and a good discussion on various aspects of dementia this afternoon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn behalf of GERI, I would like to thank Associate Professor Dan Yock Young (Deputy Director-General of Health, Health Services Group, Ministry of Health, Singapore) for gracing us and joining this webinar. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAppreciation also goes out specially to Mr Jason Foo from Dementia Singapore, Ms See Yen Theng from the Agency for Integrated Care, Dr Mark Chan representing the Chapter of Geriatricians, and of course all our esteemed speakers and panelists for joining us today. Thank you all for sharing your insights, and for cracking open some hard yet much-needed discussions during the Q\u0026A and the panel session.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on what our speakers have said, I would suggest 3 \u0027Ws\u0027 as framing questions to help us identify the opportunities ahead.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first question is “When” – when can we act? It is clear that for HealthierSG, we need to start with prevention, early identification and early intervention for dementia. But yet, at the same time, we need to also better address care at the end-of-life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe next question would be “Where” – where can we act? Certainly at acute care, but beyond that, in primary care, community settings and even at nursing homes, as alluded to today. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe last question and the third “W” is “Who” – who matters? Of course, persons living with dementia are central to all our efforts, but we should not forget all stakeholders, and some of the most important are their families, caregivers and care providers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe stakes are high. As for GERI, we have been working in this area with relevant knowledge creation through research and evaluation, but also working in collaborative research projects with our partners, and then trying to move towards timely knowledge transfer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eTalking about knowledge transfer, we all need to work quickly and bridge this information to targeted spheres of policy and practice, and through the appropriate mechanisms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDementia is one cross-cutting health and social challenge, and so we need players from all diverse sectors and disciplines to come together to the table for meaningful dialogue, collaboration and finally, action. This is one example where we organise this webinar to bring together many of us who are stakeholders in this journey ahead. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis should lead to further action. I am sure, and I hope, that this webinar and what we have discussed today will spur us into action, in our own ways and together as well. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe are all grateful for the efforts of our colleagues from Chapter of Geriatricians, Society for Geriatric Medicine and GERI, for making this session possible. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eHave an excellent evening ahead and a good weekend also. Thank you.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"43","Month":"November","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=36","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1.%20ACFS-2023-Banner_Image-by-Society-of-Geriatric-Medicine.jpg","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/1.%20ACFS-2023-Banner_Image-by-Society-of-Geriatric-Medicine.jpg","Title":"Addressing frailty for healthy ageing: GERI at the 9th Asian Conference for Frailty and Sarcopenia ","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1700064000000)\/","Desp":"Is Singapore frailty-ready? Are we on track to become frailty-resilient? What more can we do to address frailty as a public health priority, so that longer lives are lived in good health? \nGERI faculty and researchers brought their insights to bear on these issues and more at the 9th Asian Conference for Frailty and Sarcopenia, an annual gathering of the field’s leading thought leaders, clinicians and researchers. ","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e \n      \u003csup style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\n         \u003ci style=\"color:#8e8e8e;\"\u003e\n            \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e \n         \u003ci style=\"color:#8e8e8e;\"\u003eImage: Society of Geriatric Medicine, Singapore (SGMS)\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIs Singapore frailty-ready? Are we on track to become frailty-resilient? What more can we do to address frailty as a public health priority, so that longer lives are lived well and not in poor health?\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI faculty and researchers brought their insights to bear on these issues and more at the recent 9th Asian Conference for Frailty and Sarcopenia, an annual gathering of the field\u0027s leading thought leaders, clinicians and researchers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \n      \u003cstrong\u003eFrailty as a priority in the healthy ageing agenda\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn a conference highlight, our Joint Faculty member Associate Professor Lim Wee Shiong, Director, Institute of Geriatrics and Active Ageing and Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, delivered the plenary session on “Forging a Frailty-Resilient Health System\". Associate Professor Lim\u0027s plenary charted the evolution of Singapore\u0027s healthcare approach to enable older adults to live and age healthily.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e \n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/2.-Prof-Lim-WS--Plenary--Frailty-Resilient-Health-System.jpg\" alt=\"Associate Professor Lim Wee Shiong at ACFS 2023\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e​\u003cem style=\"color:#8e8e8e;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eImages: SGMS and GERI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpeaking to GERI on the sidelines of the event, Associate Professor Lim commented, “Conventionally, when thinking about preventative approaches to address population ageing, attention has been placed on the evaluation and treatment of standalone chronic diseases. However, this contrasts with the multiple, interacting, and multi-dimensional issues affecting older persons.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Against this backdrop, frailty has emerged as a key public health priority due to its high prevalence, impact on the individual’s quality of life, and public health impact. The holistic approach towards frailty prevention and management, involving medical, functional, psychosocial and lifestyle factors, more aptly reflects the complexity of the multi-dimensional needs of older persons,” he said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElaborating on his plenary message for various policy and practice stakeholders to “unite” in the journey towards frailty-resilience, Associate Professor Lim acknowledged that there were “inherent organisational, structural and funding challenges” that still had to be addressed. Nonetheless, he pointed out progress made in the following areas:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003eA comprehensive \n         \u003cstrong\u003eagenda\u003c/strong\u003e that addresses the frailty conundrum across its spectrum, from the robust/prefrail in the community through to the established frail in the healthcare system;\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n         \u003cstrong\u003eAmbition\u003c/strong\u003e for integrated care models and approaches, such that impact at the level of public health can be scaled and sustained;\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n         \u003cstrong\u003eAlignment\u003c/strong\u003e of identification measures, case definitions and evidence-based interventions for frailty; and\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMultifaceted \n         \u003cstrong\u003eaction\u003c/strong\u003e. This includes public education and engagement on frailty, and efforts made to enhance research methodologies and evaluation approaches for complex real-world interventions.​\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \n      \u003cstrong\u003e3 ‘P’s for closing the frailty research-to-practice gap \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In terms of frailty management in Singapore, we need to progress from mere knowledge creation to practice and policy translation.” Our Executive Director, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong made this point during a wider panel discussion alongside regional experts, where he outlined three levels of action – from the systemic to the person-centered – to galvanise this translation process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/3.-Prof-Ding-YY---Panel_Credit_SGMS.jfif\" alt=\"Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong at ACFS 2023\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e\n      \u003cbr\u003e\n      \u003cem style=\"color:#8e8e8e;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:#8e8e8e;font-size:12px;\"\u003eImage: SGMS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese potential levels of action comprise of:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n         \u003cstrong\u003ePolicy. \u003c/strong\u003eAccording to Associate Professor Ding, clear policy direction and strong support for translation of research knowledge is needed. “In this respect, the function of programmes developed to target frailty should have common elements, while their form could be allowed to vary across different contexts. Supportive financing models are also needed to encourage programme development by implementers and the uptake of these interventions by older people,\" he said.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n         \u003cstrong\u003ePractice.\u003c/strong\u003e “We need to develop innovative frailty programmes and interventions, but just as importantly, the implementation and evaluation of such models of innovation also requires attention,\" noted Associate Professor Ding. To facilitate this, health and community systems should be collaborative learning environments. Integration with existing care processes is also important, including avoiding duplicative efforts, he added.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n         \u003cstrong\u003ePerson.\u003c/strong\u003e At this level, Associate Professor Ding said, “Willingness on the part of older persons to participate in recommended activities, and family or peer support, are key factors for successful translation. To this end, improved frailty awareness together with better programme accessibility is needed.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003eGERI’s translational research to address frailty\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe conference also featured three research projects by GERI and our collaborators, on various community and hospital-based interventions addressing frailty and mobility among older adults in Singapore.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch Fellow Dr Tou Nien Xiang clinched the Gold award for his poster on the implementation of a community-based exercise intervention for frail older adults. The study by GERI and the Tsao Foundation focused on Baduanjin, a form of traditional Chinese Qigong exercise.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/4.-Dr-Tou-NX----Best-Poster-Gold-Award-at-ACFS.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e\n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:#8e8e8e;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:#8e8e8e;font-size:12px;\"\u003eImages: SGMS and GERI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e“The evidence indicates that Baduanjin is an acceptable, feasible and safe exercise programme for community-dwelling frail older adults. Our study showed that this exercise intervention has the potential to be successfully implemented in active ageing centres in Singapore,\" said Dr Tou.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Tou noted that its effectiveness on physical performance remains inconclusive. “Future research could further examine the effects of varying exercise volume on physical performance, as well as the longer-term effects of such low-intensity exercise interventions,\" he said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Melanie Tan, Adjunct Faculty member and Consultant, Geriatric Medicine, Ng Teng Fong Hospital, also participated in the poster presentation where she shared findings from the Help Optimise and Mobilise Elders (H.O.M.E) study, funded by GERI.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study found that the physical function and gait speed of elderly patients increased after they underwent an inpatient programme designed to get them moving more frequently in the hospital ward. These findings could signa​l the potential for such intervention programmes to prevent functional decline amongst older adults who are hospitalised.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElsewhere, Dr Tan Woan Shin, Joint Faculty, presented on the GERI-led evaluation of the Geriatric Services Hub (GSH), as part of the Conference Symposium on “Innovations in Care: Community\". The GSH programme is aimed at providing early identification of frailty and offering comprehensive and coordinated care for frail older adults.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e​\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/5.-Dr-Tan-WS---GSH.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:0px;\" /\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e​In her talk, Dr Tan, the GSH project lead, discussed the enablers and constraints encountered by the programme implementers, as well as learning points, in delivering holistic and high-quality care for older adults in the community.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \n      \u003cstrong\u003eCongratulations to our faculty and researchers for a successful conference!​\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"36","Month":"November","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=35","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC-official-banner.png","ImageDescription":"https://cmsgeri.nhg.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC-official-banner.png","Title":"Transforming for a healthier older population: GERI at the Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress 2023","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1697644800000)\/","Desp":"GERI researchers and faculty members presented their research and perspectives on building healthier lives for older adults at the 21st Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress 2023. Highlights include wins by our Research Fellows in the Scientific Competition, discussions on environments and health outcomes with our faculty, plus a bumper crop of GERI poster presentations on critical ageing issues from falls, ageism to polypharmacy.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#8e8e8e;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage: SHBC / NHG\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI researchers and faculty members were out in force to present their research and perspectives on building healthier lives for older adults at the 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c/sup\u003e Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress (SHBC) 2023 on 12 and 13 October.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch Fellows, Dr Grace Sum Chi-En and Dr Yu Chou Chuen, were recognised for their research excellence in the Scientific Competition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC---Dr-Grace-Sum-and-Dr-Yu-Chou-Chuen.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Sum clinched Gold in the Singapore Young Investigator Award (Health Services Research) category, for her poster titled \"Healthcare utilisation and cost outcomes of the Geriatric Services Hub (GSH) for frail community-dwelling older adults: A retrospective propensity score-matched study in Singapore\", capturing findings on GSH\u0027s impact on the use of healthcare services and healthcare costs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese findings form part of a larger multi-institutional project, led by GERI and commissioned by the Ministry of Health, to comprehensively evaluate the GSH, a multi-site frailty intervention programme. The central features of the GSH include the conduct of \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=29\"\u003eComprehensive Geriatric Assessments\u003c/a\u003e, and care co-ordination and management by a multidisciplinary team.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCommenting on her win, Dr Sum said, \"I believe that the award is a reflection of the (GSH) team\u0027s excellent and hard work. Most importantly, I hope the work by GERI contributes to Singapore\u0027s wider efforts to improve healthcare practices and policies on the detection and management of frailty in older people in the community.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Yu was awarded Merit in the Best Poster Award (Health Services Research) category, for his poster on \"Understanding Moral Distress and Adaptive Responses of Healthcare Professionals in Advance Care Planning (ACP): Qualitative Findings from a Sequential Exploratory Mixed-methods Study\".\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe preliminary findings identified four difficulties that could lead to moral distress amongst healthcare professionals and frontline clinicians involved with ACP work, and outlined their coping strategies to manage the psychological reactions that they face.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHeld at the Singapore Expo, the National Healthcare Group\u0027s annual flagship conference tackled the theme of \"Transforming for a Healthier Population\" with a focus on leveraging partnerships and technology to build healthier communities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAssociate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI, was a panellist at the conference\u0027s opening symposium on \"Built Environment and Health\", where he joined the conversation alongside fellow experts to discuss how living environments can be optimised to achieve better health outcomes for Singapore\u0027s population and the challenge of devising system-implementable solutions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC---Prof-Ding-YY-Panel-Discussion.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJoint Faculty member, Associate Professor Ng Yee Sien, Senior Consultant, Rehabilitation Medicine, Sengkang General Hospital also presented his research on life space and community mobility of older adults at the follow-up track on the same theme.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/SHBC---Prof-Ng-Yee-Sien-Life-Space-with-Prof-Ding.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe following researchers presented conference posters on an array of GERI projects, covering topics ranging from falls, ageism to polypharmacy:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul style=\"list-style-type:disc;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eDr Tan Woan Shin, Joint Faculty Member and Dr Serene Nai, Research Fellow – \"Cost-effectiveness of the Geriatric Services Hub: A novel frailty programme\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eDr Charlene Lau, Research Fellow – \"Implementation of a geriatric inpatient mobility intervention: A qualitative study of nurses\u0027 perspectives\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eDr Yu Chou Chuen, Research Fellow – \"Stigma and Fear during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perceptions of healthcare workers in Canada and Singapore\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eDr Mimaika Ginting, Research Associate – \"The impact of a community-based falls prevention program on mobility among moderate- to high-risk fallers: a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eJune Teng, Research Associate – \"Advancing the implementation of frailty identification and management in the community: Enablers and constraints of five different models of care\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eFiona Goh, Research Officer – \"Polypharmacy outcomes of the Geriatric Services Hub: A single-arm pre-post study on community-dwelling frail older adults in Singapore\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Complete--SHBC-2023-Poster-Presentations.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;\" /\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCongratulations to our researchers and faculty\nfor a successful conference!\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"35","Month":"October","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=33","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dr%20Grace%20Sum%20GERI%20Meet%20our%20Researchers.jpeg","ImageDescription":"Dr Grace Sum Chi-En, Research Fellow, GERI","Title":"Meet our GERI Researchers | Dr Grace Sum Chi-En","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1693756800000)\/","Desp":"In this interview, we chat with our Research Fellow, Dr Grace Sum Chi-En, on her journey to health services research for older adults, leaving her comfort zone to grow her research repertoire and why intrinsic capacity is crucial for healthy ageing.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr style=\"font-size:9px;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDr Grace Sum Chi-En is a Research Fellow at GERI. She obtained her PhD in Public Health from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, under the President’s Graduate Fellowship. Her research interests include implementation research and programme evaluation in areas related to implementing integrated healthcare services to prevent functional decline and maintain intrinsic capacity in older adults. She enjoys writing academic articles and conducting advanced quantitative methods and systematic reviews.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe chat with Dr Sum on her journey to health services research for older adults, leaving her comfort zone to grow her research repertoire and why intrinsic capacity matters.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow did you first get into research and subsequently, the study of ageing issues? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen I was a student in veterinary school, I had opportunities to contribute to several research projects. I learnt that I preferred conducting research, compared to performing surgeries and diagnosing individual patients. A major part of my training was on geriatric medicine, as most pet owners need to care for animals in their old age until end of life. My interest in public health was further fostered during the early part of my career when I contributed to multi-organisation projects to develop work plans and policies, as a public servant in an agency under the Ministry of National Development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn a personal level, I know first-hand the challenges of growing old as I grew up with great-grandparents and grandparents. My PhD thesis was on the health and social burden on older people with multiple chronic conditions. I joined GERI to continue my journey on contributing to the practices and policies that enable healthy ageing in Singapore.  \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are you currently working on? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eI am working towards the dissemination of research findings on the healthcare use and cost from an evaluation project on a frailty management programme for older people in the community. In addition, I am in a couple of projects that use qualitative research to understand the hindrances of implementing healthcare programmes for older people with frailty or declines in intrinsic capacity, to refine implementation strategies prior to the initiatives being rolled out. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcross projects, an important part of my work at GERI involves collaborations with people across research institutes and healthcare clusters. Finally, my ongoing job is to keep learning, including soft skills like negotiation techniques, advanced statistical methods, qualitative research and health policy research. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYour \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/154\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ereview​\u003c/a\u003e on the World Health Organization (WHO) Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e highlights the importance of screening for intrinsic capacity to achieve healthy ageing. How do you think individuals and communities can be more empowered in keeping track of their own intrinsic capacity?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs you may know, Singapore is on track to attain \"super-aged\" status by 2026, defined as having 21 per cent or more of the population being 65 years and older. I think we need to have a mindset of preventing and preserving our health and well-being, instead of seeking treatment only when problems arise. This is to prevent overburdening our hospitals and long-term care facilities. I am working on projects related to intrinsic capacity, a concept introduced by the WHO in 2015. Components of intrinsic capacity include cognitive function, mobility, psychological well-being, vitality, sight and hearing. Regular screening for declines in these components is a step in the right direction towards detecting problems early so that people can age at home and within their communities. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI think that empowerment to monitor one\u0027s intrinsic capacity could be from awareness of the concept itself, and access to resources to screen for declines. A fun fact is that you can download the WHO ICOPE mobile application to do a series of self-administered tests to find out about your intrinsic capacity. This brings me to the point that digital tools can play a vital role in enabling people to monitor their health and manage matters like medical appointments and medications. A proportion of older individuals will need support from family, friends, or healthcare workers on the use of technology. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy do you think your work at GERI is important and what kind of impact do you ultimately hope to create? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI believe the work is meaningful because we transform research evidence into real actionable changes in healthcare policies and practices in primary care, hospitals and the community. I hope to play some part in contributing towards improving healthcare services for the ageing population and enabling Singaporeans to grow old while maintaining their quality of life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat do you like about working at GERI and what have been some memorable experiences so far? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI am extremely grateful for the mentorship and opportunities at GERI. I love the diversity of my work, from evidence synthesis, programme evaluation and implementation research, to research communications, engaging collaborators and stakeholders, and publishing academic papers and conference proceedings. Memorable experiences include using advanced quantitative methods to analyse large national datasets, leaving my comfort zone to do qualitative research and presenting at an international conference overseas. Most of all, I’m encouraged by the collaborative environment at GERI. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some personal interests and activities that you do in your spare time that help protect against functional decline? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI have a hamster and two gerbils that were adopted and are now geriatric. Cleaning their large cages, playing with them, and administering medications are tiring and can feel like a physical workout! I enjoy taking strolls, visiting museums and exhibitions, cafe hopping, and watching documentaries and psychological thriller movies with my husband. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications, Dr Grace Sum Chi-En","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"33","Month":"September","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=32","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/KPS%20Frailty%20Article%20image.png","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/KPS%20Frailty%20Article%20image.png","Title":"Knowledge to Practice Series: Frailty Conversations - Intrinsic Capacity Matters (25 July 2023)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1690992000000)\/","Desp":"GERI’s Knowledge to Practice Series webinar tapped into the growing policy and public health momentum on frailty and intrinsic capacity in Singapore by bringing together relevant GERI research for timely discussion. Topics covered included intrinsic capacity measurement and operationalisation, frailty assessment and community-delivered exercise interventions.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr style=\"font-size:8px;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith HealthierSG and Singapore\u0027s push for preventive health in full swing, attention has also turned towards the accompanying need to manage frailty and optimise the intrinsic capacity of Singapore\u0027s ageing population in a systematic manner—efforts critical for healthy ageing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI\u0027s Knowledge to Practice Series webinar on the theme of \"Frailty Conversations: Intrinsic Capacity Matters\" sought to tap into this growing policy and public health momentum in Singapore by assembling related research by GERI for a timely discussion. Topics covered included intrinsic capacity measurement and operationalisation, frailty assessment and community-delivered exercise interventions. A synopsis of each presentation can be found in our Knowledge to Practice Series Webinar Brief: click \u003cspan lang=\"EN-GB\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Documents/KPS%20Brief%20Frailty%20Conversations%20Intrinsic%20Capacity%20Matters.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehere\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrganised by GERI in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH), Chapter of Geriatricians and Society for Geriatric Medicine, the webinar attracted 264 participants across policy divisions, primary, acute and community care, universities and more. Click \u003cspan lang=\"EN-GB\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Documents/Frailty%20Conversations%20Intrinsic%20Capacity%20Matters%20KPS%20Flyer.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehere\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e for the programme and speakers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn his opening remarks, guest speaker Associate Professor Dan Yock Young, Deputy Director-General of Health at the Health Services Group, MOH, observed that frailty should not be merely viewed as a consequence of ageing, but rather, as a complex interplay between biological, physiological, psychological and social factors. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiven the spike in frailty and its ramifications for vulnerable groups and their caregivers, he said that a multidimensional approach was needed to prevent, detect and manage frailty, and to optimise functional ability among older adults, thereby delaying or preventing functional decline.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConsidering the recommendations of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/Publications/Lists/Publication/Attachments/149/GERI%20Research%20Brief%202023-03-01%20-%20ICOPE.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWorld Health Organisation (WHO)\u0027s Integrated Care of Older Persons (ICOPE) framework\u003c/a\u003e, Associate Professor Dan shared \u003ca href=\"https://www.moh.gov.sg/docs/librariesprovider5/resources-statistics/reports/moh-frailty-strategy-policy-report.pdf?sfvrsn=2dae338b_2\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMOH\u0027s three focus areas for frailty\u003c/a\u003e: raising public awareness on preventive measures, proactive frailty identification in community and primary care, and developing guidelines to harmonise care and integration across the ecosystem. On the latter, he thanked GERI for its contributions in developing the Ministry\u0027s National Frailty Strategy and Frailty Implementation Workgroup.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring the Q\u0026A discussion, Dr Rachel Cheong, Joint Faculty, GERI and Consultant, Geriatric Medicine at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, likened the concepts of frailty and intrinsic capacity to two faces of the same coin, wherein intrinsic capacity represents one\u0027s physical and mental reserves whilst frailty represents one\u0027s vulnerability of deterioration. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResponding to another participant\u0027s question on exercise programmes for frail older adults, Dr Tou Nien Xiang, Research Fellow, GERI, pointed to evidence that resistance, aerobic and balance training exercises were beneficial, but stressed that sustaining such physical activity was just as essential. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Q\u0026A also highlighted important gaps for future research, such as over the choice of instruments that could be used to pilot measurements of intrinsic capacity in Singapore – of which there is currently no local consensus – and the validated mapping of the severity of frailty across different frailty scales.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn closing, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI, commented on the role played by research in contributing evidence to tackle such national challenges. Beyond the project findings shared at the webinar, he also noted GERI\u0027s contributions through its collaborative studies on the Geriatric Services Hub frailty intervention programme and the WHO ICOPE framework. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"How can Singapore be frailty-ready and optimise the intrinsic capacity of our older population? No single actor can move the needle, but whole-of-society and whole-of-system contributions and partnerships are needed,\" observed Associate Professor Ding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor more information about the presentations, please email us at \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:enquiry@geri.com.sg\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eenquiry@geri.com.sg\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e. \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"32","Month":"August","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=31","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Credit%20-%20NMRC%202023.jpg","ImageDescription":"NMRC Symposium 2023 - Image by NMRC","Title":"National Medical Research Council Research Symposium (27 and 28 April 2023)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1690905600000)\/","Desp":"Highlights from the annual event where Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI outlined the Institute\u0027s strategy to close the research-to-practice gap while keynote speaker Dr Sharon Straus, Joint Faculty, GERI and Director of the Knowledge Translation Program, St Michael’s Hospital discussed co-creating research with knowledge users, with a focus on older adults and their caregivers.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e​\u003cem style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003eCredit: Banner image by NMRC\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAssociate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI and Joint Faculty, Dr Sharon Straus, Director of the Knowledge Translation Program, St Michael’s Hospital were invited to share their expertise at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nmrc.gov.sg/media/events/eventsdetailpage/Index/nmrc-awards-ceremony-and-research-symposium-2023\"\u003eNational Medical Research Council (NMRC) Awards Ceremony and Research Symposium 2023\u003c/a\u003e. The annual event was organised by NMRC and the Ministry of Health, Singapore with local and international researchers and scientists in attendance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpeaking at a concurrent session, Associate Professor Ding discussed the pervasive phenomenon of the research-to-practice gap. Factors, such as those relating to the external context, organisation, profession and intervention, could exacerbate this gap and lead to a diminished impact of the research on practice and people’s lives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo avert this outcome for GERI, he outlined a three-part strategy. Pivotal to this was GERI’s Knowledge Translation Framework and its four nodes of knowledge creation, dissemination, exchange and implementation. Research activities are also carefully calibrated so that evidence is created in the T3 (to practice) translational stage and implementation science concepts are applied. \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/900px_NMRC%20Image%202%20Closing%20the%20R%20to%20P%20gap.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;vertical-align:middle;\" /\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAssociate Professor Ding identified two ongoing research projects – \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2023.105110\"\u003eprescribing for older people with multi-morbidity\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03254-6\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ean evaluation of the Geriatric Services Hub programme for frail older adults\u003c/a\u003e – as exemplars of how GERI’s strategy has worked to boost the incorporation of the Institute’s evidence-based research outcomes into practice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to her keynote speech on mitigating COVID-19 and promoting wellness in congregate living settings, Dr Straus also led a session on co-creating research with knowledge users, with a focus on older adults and their caregivers. Co-creation, Dr Straus emphasised, reduces waste and inefficiency in research. Strategies for engaging older adults in the research process also needed to be developed with them as partners, grounded in principles of establishing trust.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVisit the \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.nmrc.gov.sg/media/events/eventsdetailpage/Index/nmrc-awards-ceremony-and-research-symposium-2023\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"NMRC website\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNMRC website\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e to view the slides from their respective presentations.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI, NMRC","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"31","Month":"August","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=42","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-978499146_1200x795.jpg","ImageDescription":"Image: iStock","Title":"Closing Remarks by Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI at the Knowledge to Practice Webinar on Frailty Conversations: Intrinsic Capacity Matters (25 Jul 23)","Category":"Speeches","Releasedate":"\/Date(1690214400000)\/","Desp":"Collectively targeting frailty and intrinsic capacity is paramount to the approach to healthy ageing. With this in mind, GERI brought together researchers and experts to discuss translational research findings from collaborative projects on areas such as intrinsic capacity measurement, exercise interventions for older adults, and more.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:11px;color:#666666;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e​Image: iStock\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistinguished colleagues, partners, ladies and gentlemen, a very good late afternoon to everyone. \u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThank you for being a part of GERI’s Knowledge-to-Practice Webinar. This is our third this year. I would also like to convey my appreciation to our esteemed guest speaker, Associate Professor Dan Yock Young, Deputy Director-General of Health at the Health Services Group, Ministry of Health Singapore for gracing us this afternoon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo, as we draw to a close, I would like to assemble some of my reflections into what I call the 3 ‘C’s.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first “C” is “Call to action”. By now, we would have heard about the imminence of super-ageing in Singapore, and the increase in frailty in the older community that we are going to experience in the next few years. There is rightful cause for concern, given how frailty causes disproportionate health impacts to older adults and poses a significant obstacle to ageing-in-place.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFortunately, there is a growing sense of urgency and a call to action for frailty management to be part of Singapore’s public health priorities. This is exemplified by the National Frailty Strategy Policy Report that was published and disseminated earlier this year. Also gaining momentum are calls to systematically target the intrinsic capacities of our older population, as you have heard. This is so that longer lives are lived well and not in poor health.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis brings me to my second “C”, “Collective”. We seldom get to hear both frailty and intrinsic capacity being discussed in tandem. This is partly why GERI brought these two topics into the same conversation today—this is because collectively targeting frailty and intrinsic capacity is paramount to the approach to healthy ageing. It is useful to consider frailty and intrinsic capacity as anchors along the same continuum of an older person’s health trajectory. Frailty may kick in at a later stage. Intrinsic capacity provides a holistic view of an older person’s physical, mental, and functional health right from the start. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith Singapore embarking on HealthierSG, targeting intrinsic capacity can certainly support the push for preventive health amongst our older population.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe third “C” is “Contribution”. How can Singapore be frailty-ready and optimise the intrinsic capacity of our older population? No single actor can move the needle, but whole-of-society and whole-of-system contributions and partnerships are needed.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor our part, GERI continues to contribute to this effort throughout our translational research projects undertaken with our collaborators. We had a snapshot this afternoon, as we heard research on areas such as intrinsic capacity measurement and exercise interventions, conducted through methodologies ranging from rapid reviews to randomised clinical trials.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeyond this webinar, we have also been working with partners across policy, acute care and community sectors to evaluate the Geriatric Services Hub, which is a multi-site programme that identifies and manages frail seniors in the community. Alongside the healthcare clusters, we are also studying the WHO (World Health Organization)’s ICOPE framework. This provides systematic guidance on how to guide the screening, assessment and management of deficits in intrinsic capacity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs we depart, I hope that the word “translation” is top of our minds. Regardless of whether we are in clinical or community practice, policy or research, I hope that all of us will strive to translate the learnings that we obtained today into our different real-world contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFinally, I would like to extend my gratitude to all the presenters today for their hard work, as well as to colleagues from Chapter of Geriatricians, Society for Geriatric Medicine and GERI for organising this session.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith that, thank you and have an excellent evening ahead.​\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"42","Month":"July","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=30","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Readmission_iStock.jpg","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Readmission_iStock.jpg","Title":"Improving older patients’ journey to recovery in the community by tackling depressive symptoms and malnutrition","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1689177600000)\/","Desp":"A first-of-its-kind study by researchers from GERI and Sengkang General Hospital finds that older adults can have a better chance at recovery at home after hospitalisation if these dietary and psychosocial needs are identified and addressed early on.","Content":"\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12pt;font-family:\"segoe ui\", tahoma;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;font-size:14pt;letter-spacing:4pt;\"\u003eRESEARCH HIGHLIGHT\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA GERI study finds that older adults can have a better chance at recovery at home after hospitalisation if these dietary and psychosocial needs are identified and addressed early on.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA first-of-its-kind study by researchers from the Geriatric Education and Research Institute (GERI) and Sengkang General Hospital (SKH) found that depressive symptoms and malnutrition – which are prevalent but modifiable health conditions amongst the elderly – were associated with an increased risk of 30-day hospital readmission amongst older patients.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublished in \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-022-03343-6\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBMC Geriatrics\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e, the findings from the GERI-funded study underscore the need to identify and address these dietary and psychosocial needs early on, so as to boost older adults’ chances of recovering well in their homes and communities after hospitalisation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Frail older patients often have multiple health conditions. As a result, models for predicting the risk of hospital readmission amongst this already high-risk group of older adults may not always perform well. We may then miss out on directing resources to patients who need them the most,” said Associate Professor Laura Tay, Joint Faculty, GERI and Head and Senior Consultant, Geriatric Medicine, SKH. Associate Professor Tay is the study’s Principal Investigator and lead author.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hence, it is important to drill down to specific conditions, such as depressive symptoms and malnutrition, and examine how they relate to readmission. In doing so, our study seeks to support broader efforts to improve screening programmes and devise more targeted interventions for vulnerable older patients,” Associate Professor Tay added.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearchers recruited 1619 consecutive admissions of older adults aged 65 years and above who were admitted to SKH between October 2018 to January 2020. Patients were screened for depression, malnutrition and other geriatric syndromes such as delirium, cognitive impairment and frailty at admission. Patients were tracked for unplanned readmission within 30-days of discharge.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo depict the relationships between depressive symptoms, malnutrition, other geriatric syndromes and readmission, \u003ca href=\"https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-022-03343-6/figures/2\"\u003edirected acyclic graphs (DAGs) were constructed\u003c/a\u003e. These graphs can be used to represent likely causal effects beyond mere associations. Using the DAGs, researchers adjusted for confounding variables to identify potentially modifiable causal effects when performing statistical analysis on the hospitalisation data.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hospital readmission amongst older adults often involves multiple contributing factors. For such complex situations, DAGs are useful visual aids that can illustrate pathways that incorporate specific risk factors. This is the first study to employ DAGs on this subject, as indicated by our review of the field,” said Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI. Associate Professor Ding is a Co-Investigator of the study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearchers found that 22% of the older patients studied were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Of this group, 26.1% were more likely to report depressive symptoms compared with 20.4% amongst those who were not readmitted. Malnutrition at admission was more prevalent among those readmitted, with 17.4% identified with this condition compared to 11.6% amongst those who were not readmitted.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“After further statistical analysis, we found that patients reporting depressive symptoms continued to have significantly increased risk for readmission compared to patients with neither depressive symptoms nor history of depression. This supports vigilance for active depressive symptoms beyond reliance on established historical diagnosis,” shared Associate Professor Tay. Malnutrition also continued to be associated with readmission, albeit not as significantly as depressive symptoms.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePatients with active depressive symptoms and malnutrition were also more likely to be frail, experience functional decline during their hospital stay and have cognitive impairment, amongst other geriatric syndromes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The findings remind us that diet and mental health have a considerable influence over older adults’ overall health outcomes after hospitalisation. To give our seniors a smoother journey to recovery at home, early intervention is key—starting from the hospital bed, ” said Associate Professor Ding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"For example, hospitalised older patients identified to be malnourished could receive targeted dietary intervention. Timely mental health support and treatment could also be rendered to those who exhibit features of depression,” Associate Professor Ding elaborated.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the long run, Associate Professor Tay pointed towards community care as a sustainable path forward to support older adults in recovery after hospitalisation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“After discharge, partnerships amongst older patients, their caregivers, and community care and health providers come to the fore. Their proactive involvement is critical for the success of any care management plan,” shared Associate Professor Tay. “In this phase, community partners could provide valuable support by working closely with older adults and their caregivers, to address older adults’ health and social needs and follow up on care management.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuilding on GERI’s study, Associate Professor Ding suggested for future research to uncover additional causal factors beyond depressive symptoms and malnutrition, with the intention of incorporating them in future readmission risk prediction models to improve their performance and impact.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Ultimately, we hope that GERI’s study galvanises further research and translation efforts, to address more comprehensively the issue of hospital readmission amongst older adults, to help them age healthily in the community,” said Associate Professor Ding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe full study can be accessed \u003ca href=\"https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-022-03343-6/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eReference:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003eTay L., Chua M., Ding YY. \"Depressive symptoms and malnutrition are associated with other geriatric syndromes and increase risk for 30-Day readmission in hospitalized older adults: a prospective cohort study.\" \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBMC Geriatrics\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e 22, 634 (2022).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"30","Month":"July","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=29","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/CGA_iStock_GERI%20Website.jpg","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/CGA_iStock_GERI%20Website.jpg","Title":"Systematic integrative review explores the enablers and challenges of conducting Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in the community","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1686153600000)\/","Desp":"As Singapore shifts to community care to support ageing-in-place, GERI researchers take a closer look at community-based Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and provide recommendations for its implementation beyond the hospital setting.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e​\u003cem\u003eImage: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12pt;font-family:\"segoe ui\", tahoma;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;font-size:14pt;letter-spacing:4pt;\"\u003eRESEARCH HIGHLIGHT\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003eAs Singapore shifts to community care to support ageing-in-place, GERI researchers take a closer look at community-based Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and provide recommendations for its implementation beyond the hospital setting.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a person ages, their biological, psychological and social needs become more complex. If these needs are not assessed and identified, they may go unaddressed and thus, unmet. Enter: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), which differs from a typical medical evaluation. CGA is the holistic assessment of different aspects of older adults in order to develop personalised care plans for them. These aspects include their physical and mental health, ability to do daily activities or tasks, or functional ability, and whether their social needs are met. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThus far, research has focused on the effects of CGA conducted in the hospital setting, CGA led by geriatricians, or CGA for older adults with specific health conditions, like frailty or cancer. To address these knowledge gaps, GERI researchers carried out a systematic integrative review on the effects of delivering CGA to community-dwelling older adults, including at their homes and in primary care. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublished in \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03024-4\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBMC Geriatrics\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, this study is the first of its kind to narratively synthesise evidence on health outcomes from quantitative research and the barriers and facilitators from qualitative research on conducting CGA for community-dwelling older adults. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"By 2026, Singapore will become \u0027super-aged\u0027. The population\u0027s demand for hospital and long-term care will grow. Shifting to community-based interventions can form part of a sustainable path forward to help older adults age-in-place,\" said Dr Tan Woan Shin, Joint Faculty, GERI and Deputy Director, Health Services \u0026 Outcomes Research at the National Healthcare Group. Dr Tan is the Principal Investigator and senior author of the study.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor their study approach, the researchers chose to depart from the conventional systematic review. \"Instead of examining either quantitative or qualitative findings in a single systematic review, we conducted a systematic integrative review to analyse both types of results. This allowed us to paint a fuller picture of the effects of community-based CGA and the challenges and enablers of conducting it,\" said Dr Grace Sum, Research Fellow, GERI and lead author of the study.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe research team searched medical and social sciences online databases across two decades. The search strategy involved using keywords and Medical Subject Headings. Precise inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select the records. Data extraction and quality evaluation of the included articles were conducted. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHealth outcomes that were examined included functional ability, frailty and falls, mental health, cognition, nutrition, chronic condition management, self-rated health, and quality of life. The team analysed qualitative findings by developing themes inductively and linking similar concepts across studies. After screening the titles and abstracts of 14,151 articles and reviewing 203 full text articles, the team included 43 articles for analysis. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFindings on the effects of community-based CGA on health outcomes were mixed. Some studies showed that CGA had positive effects, while others reported no effects on health outcomes. \"Inconsistent findings could be due to differences in study designs, health and social care domains that were assessed, assessment tools used, and the health status of the participants in the study,\" explained Dr Sum. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Importantly, what makes CGA effective are the actions that come after it, including the development of a personalised care plan for older persons and linkage to health and social care services that target their specific needs,\" added Dr Sum.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarriers to implementation included the lack of partnership among various healthcare providers and the lack of buy-in from older adults on the value of preventive care. On the other hand, patients appreciated the convenience of receiving CGA at home whilst healthcare staff felt that community-based CGA improved care coordination and provided patient education. These perceived benefits could facilitate the implementation of CGA in the community.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the direction that future research could take, Dr Tan commented, \"Current results from the wider literature do not yet inform us on which approach is more cost-efficient to conduct community-based CGA and which groups of older adults are likely to reap more benefits. Given that CGA is an investment on the part of all providers involved, as it is time-consuming and resource-intensive, more research is needed on these areas.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe team also outlined several recommendations for policymakers and practitioners on implementing CGA in the community. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"While different stakeholders have a common goal of delivering better care to older persons, successful collaboration could still be challenging. Thus, clear operating procedures and delegation of roles are recommended to facilitate the forging of partnerships and minimise duplication of work and miscommunication,\" shared Dr Sum.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Regardless of age, we all strive for and value independence. Healthcare professionals could improve older adults\u0027 acceptance of CGA by focusing on the value of prevention in supporting them to maintain their level of independence and sense of self-worth,\" added Dr Tan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe full study can be accessed \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03024-4\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehere\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003eReference: \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003eSum, G.; Nicholas, S.O.; Nai, Z.L.; Ding Y.Y.; Tan W.S\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e \"Health outcomes and implementation barriers and facilitators of comprehensive geriatric assessment in community settings: a systematic integrative review.\" [PROSPERO registration no.: CRD42021229953]. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003eBMC Geriatr\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#8e8e8e;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;\"\u003e 22, 379 (2022).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"29","Month":"June","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=28","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dr%20Serene%20Nai_Article%20image.png","ImageDescription":"Dr Serene Nai GERI Research Fellow","Title":"Meet our GERI Researchers | Dr Serene Nai","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1684252800000)\/","Desp":"In this interview, we catch up with our Research Fellow, Dr Serene Nai, about her segue into ageing research and how Singapore\u0027s seniors can still forge authentic connections in a digital future.    ","Content":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13px;\"\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:0cm 0cm 7.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:9px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family:\"segoe ui\", sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:0cm 0cm 7.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:17.3333px;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family:\"segoe ui\", sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13px;\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003eDr Serene Nai is a Research Fellow at GERI. Her research interests focus on how social support affects well-being. She has engaged in research to understand how technology acceptance influences social support and well-being, and can serve as a support for caregiver quality of life. Serene holds a PhD in Psychology and is trained in quantitative methodology, particularly in longitudinal study designs.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:0cm 0cm 7.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:17.3333px;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family:\"segoe ui\", sans-serif;\"\u003eIn this series, we catch up with Dr Nai about her segue into ageing research and how seniors can still forge authentic connections in a digital future.   \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow did you first get into research and subsequently, the study of ageing issues? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI first got into research at the undergraduate level, when I was working for some professors as a research assistant. Going through data collection and participating in research designs was what got me really interested in research. With more experience, my professors gave me more opportunities to learn other aspects of research such as data analysis and study design. It was through these accumulated experiences that I decided on research as a career.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eStudying ageing issues was not a deliberate choice. I was interested in studying the well-being of any population. However, through working with and learning more about older adults, I felt that the factors that contributed to older adults\u0027 well-being were somewhat different to that of the general population. These factors got me more interested in learning further about ageing-related issues, and how they would affect older adults.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eWhat are you currently working on? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI am engaged in a few projects. The most extensive project is the multi-site evaluation of the \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03254-6\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGeriatric Services Hub (GSH)\u003c/a\u003e, which is a novel frailty service for community-dwelling older adults.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eThe GSH is piloted by five hospital sites in Singapore, and GERI is the appointed evaluator of the programme. The GERI team includes joint and adjunct faculty members from other organisations, as well as staff trained in qualitative and quantitative techniques in research.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eAnother project I am currently involved in is the evaluation of a new service for caregivers which aims to improve their quality of life, stress levels, and workload. For this project, we are collaborating with a government hospital and are involved in contributing to the study design as well as the evaluation. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eYour recent research has touched on the socio-emotional aspects of ageing, such as technology and older adults\u0027 well-being during COVID-19. Looking ahead to the future, how optimistic are you about whether our seniors can still remain authentically connected to society?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI feel that it is possible. However, more specific efforts by the community and familial units need to be in place to ease the process, in particular to ensure their connectedness via technology.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eTechnology is already becoming an indispensible part of our everyday life. While there are still options (e.g. banking, payments) that do not require technology, more and more places are removing the option of manual payments. More can be done to further encourage and guide older adults to use technology as part of their everyday lives. This will involve steps to tackle their fears and uncertainties towards technology, as well as provide them with opportunities to practice and apply these skills regularly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eFor the community, perhaps measures can be introduced to enable more older adults to be able to access devices, such as donations for old mobile phones and data plans. As children and grandchildren, we should also be patient with our parents and grandparents if they approach us regarding the use of technology and devices. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eWhy do you think your work at GERI is important and what kind of impact do you ultimately hope to create? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI think that my work in GERI can be used to contribute to solutions that can improve the well-being of older adults and their caregivers. In particular, I hope that my work can have an impact on improving older adults’ acceptance of technology and improve their independence in using technology, to allow better communication with their friends and family.   \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat do you like about working at GERI and what have been some memorable experiences so far? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI enjoy the overall experience of working at GERI. My colleagues are very helpful, and are always eager to share their experiences and provide constructive feedback. Senior researchers are very willing to guide younger researchers to improve their research skills and grasp a better understanding of research in healthcare.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eGERI has also provided me with many opportunities. For instance, I have presented my research findings at conference and seminar platforms, and participated (and won!) in the scientific competition at the Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress 2022. I have also been awarded a small grant, and was given the opportunity to design and take charge of a research project as the Principal Investigator. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eWhat are some personal interests and activities that you do in your spare time that help protect against functional decline? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI enjoy reading novels, comics and watching dramas that are in the fantasy genre (e.g. Harry Potter) or historically-based. I have an active interest in reading Mandarin online novels to maintain my Mandarin reading proficiency. I also do play mobile app games that are cognitively stimulating. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"28","Month":"May","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=27","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dr%20Tan%20Woan%20Shin_GERI%20Website.png","ImageDescription":"Dr Tan Woan Shin","Title":"Meet our GERI Researchers | Dr Tan Woan Shin","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1681747200000)\/","Desp":"In this interview, we chat with GERI Joint Faculty member Dr Tan Woan Shin about working at the intersection of policy, practice and research, sustaining community-based efforts and her advice for aspiring researchers.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:17.3333px;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003eDr Tan Woan Shin is a Joint Faculty member at GERI, and Deputy Director at the Health Services \u0026 Outcomes Research department in NHG. She believes that effective translation of research findings to practice and policy is needed to create meaningful impacts to improve population health. Her research work adopts a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to support evidence-based health services development, and to obtain a comprehensive understanding of mechanisms driving changes in complex health services interventions.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:17.3333px;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:#73bba3;\"\u003eIn this feature series, Dr Tan shares her thoughts on working at the intersection of policy, practice and research, sustaining community-based efforts and her advice for aspiring researchers.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eHow did you get into research and subsequently, get involved with projects related to ageing?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI did not have a specific idea of what career I wanted to pursue after my Bachelors degree. I applied to jobs based on my interest in public policies and to satisfy my own curiosity about how to make life better for people. Eventually, I landed a job as a junior research economist at the Ministry of National Development.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI feel very fortunate to able to work at the intersection of policy / practice and research throughout my career. It has allowed me to apply research methods to answer questions that potentially have an impact on the design and funding of new approaches to healthcare services delivery. It also continues to feed my personal curiosity about how things work, and to learn something new every day. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI also see myself as an interdisciplinary researcher who works across domains, and ageing happens to be a key driver for poor health. That’s how I came into it.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eAt GERI, you are currently leading an evaluation of the \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03254-6\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGeriatric Services Hub (GSH)\u003c/a\u003e. The GSH is a novel multi-site programme that identifies and manages frailty among seniors in the community. What do you feel is significant about this research project?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003eBeyond the impact of GSH, the way that the evaluation has been set up is also unique. Central to this approach is the creation of a collaborative platform involving partners in health policy divisions, as well as programme directors, implementation teams and health services researchers from the acute hospitals.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eThe evaluation team at GERI takes an intermediate position between the implementers and policymakers at the Ministry of Health. We share our evaluation findings throughout the duration of the pilot as opposed to only at the conclusion of the project. This helps to support adjustments to be made on both sides, to support programme implementation on an ongoing basis.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eIn addition to GSH, you have also looked at \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03024-4\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eComprehensive Geriatric Assessment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e, a health screening and assessment process to develop care plans for older persons. A common theme across both is how community support and collaboration can enhance senior care. What is needed for different parties to come together? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eTo kickstart and sustain any community-based, multi-provider collaborative initiative, parties with different interests and varied cultures would need to come together. They must have strong willingness to move outside of their comfort zones to work towards a shared greater purpose. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eThis can be challenging to scale. It’ll be interesting to better understand how best to facilitate this coming together across sectoral lines.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eWhat do you like about being a GERI faculty? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI enjoy the camaraderie within GERI, and the exchange of ideas with researchers from different healthcare clusters and universities (local, international) through various GERI platforms. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eWhat are some personal interests that you pursue in your spare time that help protect against functional decline? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI practice yoga at least twice a week, and go for walks or play basketball when I have time.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eWhat is your advice for aspiring researchers and those starting out?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003eI don’t feel old enough to be giving advice! In many ways, we are all always starting out—constantly learning new things. I think it’s important to not stand still—it’s important to just start and to connect with like-minded people. We will gather knowledge along the way even if the research topic is messy and we don’t have all the know-how at the start.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"27","Month":"April","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=26","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/ICOPE%20Health%20Screening%20Mobile%20App.jpg","ImageDescription":"ICOPE Health Screening Mobile App","Title":"WHO framework, focused on screening for physical and mental wellness for personalised care, offers promise for healthy ageing: Study","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1680192000000)\/","Desp":"The use of mobile apps for self-screening and other learning points are discussed in GERI’s global study on the application of the WHO Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework—which is gaining relevance for countries with action plans to address ageing, like Singapore.","Content":"\u003ch3 style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e \n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\n         \u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e​\u003c/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003eImage: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\u003ch3\u003e \n      \u003cspan style=\"font-size:12pt;font-family:\"segoe ui\", tahoma;color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\n         \u003cspan style=\"color:#787878;font-size:14pt;letter-spacing:4pt;\"\u003eRESEARCH HIGHLIGHT\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e \n      \u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:5pt;\"\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\n      \u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003eThe use of mobile apps for self-screening and other learning points are discussed in GERI’s global study on the application of the WHO Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework—which is gaining relevance for countries with action plans to address ageing, like Singapore.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo unlock not just longer but healthier lives, it is crucial to prevent, slow or reverse declines in older adults\u0027 physical and mental capacities, or their intrinsic capacity. With good cognitive function, mobility and mental well-being – some of the domains of intrinsic capacity – seniors can age healthily. Recognising this, the World Health Organization (WHO) progressively introduced the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework from 2017 to 2019. The ICOPE framework aims to prevent and manage declines in intrinsic capacity among older people by optimising how healthcare and social services are provided to them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn order to understand how the WHO ICOPE framework has been applied thus far, researchers from the Geriatric Education and Research Institute (GERI) systematically reviewed medical and social sciences research published between October 2017 and March 2022, examining 18 study teams from around the world. Published in the\u003cem\u003e \u003c/em\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010154\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, GERI\u0027s first-of-its-kind study indicates that the ICOPE framework offers a viable approach to enable healthy ageing. The study also provides key lessons learnt for policymakers and practitioners to consider in adopting this relatively new framework. \n      \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"For older persons to live and age well, a holistic view on health and well-being is needed. The concept of intrinsic capacity is very relevant for healthy ageing as it accounts for the physical, psychological, nutritional and functional health and wellness of seniors,\" said Dr Grace Sum Chi-En, Research Fellow at GERI. Dr Sum is the Principal Investigator and lead author of the study.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Intrinsic capacity is the focus of the WHO ICOPE framework. It guides doctors, healthcare workers and policymakers on how to screen for intrinsic capacity, and provide personalised and coordinated care based on each individual\u0027s unique healthcare and social needs. Given the ICOPE framework\u0027s growing recognition globally and in Singapore, GERI\u0027s study on where and how it has been applied provides timely guidance to pave the way for adoption,\" said Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director of GERI and senior author of the study. \n      \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003e \n      \u003cstrong\u003eKey findings and lessons learnt \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMajority of the 18 study teams and study sites that have applied the WHO ICOPE framework were in Europe and China, with those in France and China having recently implemented large-scale programmes for older people in the community. At the time of GERI\u0027s study, study teams from Asia that have adopted the framework were in China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea and Taiwan. \n      \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOverall, evidence from the study teams point to the applicability of the WHO ICOPE framework to different types of healthcare systems, its ease of use and its potential benefits towards living well for ageing populations. GERI researchers reported the following lessons learnt for practitioners and health policymakers when adopting the ICOPE framework:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.         \n      \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eThe WHO ICOPE framework promotes the use of digital health technology\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe WHO ICOPE framework consists of five steps. The authors reported that at least five of the 18 study teams that adopted the ICOPE framework used mobile apps to carry out Step 1, which involves screening for the domains of intrinsic capacity like cognitive function, mobility, psychological well-being, vitality, sight and hearing. Step 1 can be done via self-screening using a mobile app such as \n      \u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/embed/Arc2whZGpH0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ethe WHO ICOPE Handbook app\u003c/a\u003e, or in a healthcare setting. \n      \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Our study suggests that digital health technology is a convenient way for people to track their health and encourages them to take charge of their own well-being. The technology also enables the detection and long-term monitoring of intrinsic capacity of older people in large-scale health programmes in the community,\" said Dr Sum. This technology includes mobile apps and chat-bots for regular self-screening and telemedicine databases that allow healthcare staff to monitor the health of patients and coordinate personalised care for them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"We found that older persons may face challenges in self-screening when they do not have or know how to use mobile devices. For this group, family members and caregivers could assist them, or they could be screened at community centres and primary care clinics,\" added Dr Sum. \n      \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.         \n      \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003ePartial adoption of the five-step WHO ICOPE framework could still reap benefits\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll 18 study teams were found to have applied at least Step 1 of the WHO ICOPE framework, which screens for declines in intrinsic capacity. Steps 2 and 3 involve comprehensive assessment in primary care and development of personalised care plans. Healthcare professionals take into consideration the older person\u0027s personal preferences, needs and environments. Step 4 is the referral to specialists and Step 5 involves supporting older persons and their caregivers within their communities. \n      \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Future adopters that have health systems with existing care processes, such as Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and elements of integrated care that are similar to Steps 2 to 5 of the WHO ICOPE framework, could adopt Step 1 only. In this way, the helpful functions of the ICOPE framework are integrated into health systems without the need to undergo a major redesign of the community care ecosystem for older persons. Importantly, Step 1 can represent the \u0027front door\u0027 of care processes for targeted health assessment of older persons in the community,\" Associate Professor Ding said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.         \n      \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eScreening questions to assess intrinsic capacity modified to suit different contexts\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe WHO ICOPE framework proposes questions and tests used to screen for intrinsic capacity declines. The authors found that the questions and tests were altered by adopters according to the needs of their local contexts and cultures, and available resources. For example, questions were amended to suit the local dialect. Some older persons are unable to do the seeing and hearing tests using the mobile app, so they instead they could indicate in the app their ability to see and hear in daily life.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.         \n      \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eFlexibility in applying the WHO ICOPE framework to different target groups of older adults\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI\u0027s study found that existing adopters of the WHO ICOPE framework had the flexibility to apply it to different target groups. For programmes targeting older patients who visit their general practitioner, they would apply Step 1 of screening for intrinsic capacity declines only in primary care settings. For programmes that aim to detect decreases in intrinsic capacity in the general older adult population, infrastructure would be needed to target a larger group of people.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.         \n      \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003eFeasibility of the WHO ICOPE framework can be tested prior to larger-scale implementation\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study reported that seven of the 18 study teams were in the process of testing the feasibility of the WHO ICOPE framework in a smaller scale, prior to implementing it on a larger population of older people. This process would allow healthcare teams and researchers to better understand how to utilise this framework, address challenges faced and tailor the screening and care services to their specific target groups, prior to a larger-scale rollout of the programme.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"With Singapore embarking on HealthierSG which promotes the well-being and health of our population, the ICOPE framework offers an attractive option for supporting preventive health among older persons through the early identification of deficits in key physical and mental capacities. It provides care pathways for those who would benefit from individualised assessment and actions that in turn work towards the maintenance of functional ability, which is so important to older persons,\" said Associate Professor Ding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Over the next few years, we expect to have a better understanding on the ICOPE framework\u0027s longer-term impact on achieving healthy ageing among older adults. Further research will inform us on the resources and infrastructure needed to sustain this model of care, and the factors that hinder and enable implementation,\" shared Dr Sum.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \n      \u003cstrong\u003eThe full study can be accessed \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010154\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehere\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e and the related GERI Research Brief can be read \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.geri.com.sg/Documents/GERI%20Research%20Brief%20-%20How%20has%20ICOPE%20been%20adopted%20across%20the%20world%20and%20what%20can%20we%20learn%20(2023-03-001).pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehere\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e. \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \n      \u003cstrong style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\n         \u003cem\u003eReference: \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003eSum, G.; Lau, L.K.; Jabbar, K.A.; Lun, P.; George, P.P.; Munro, Y.L.; Ding, Y.Y. \"The World Health Organization (WHO) Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) Framework: A Narrative Review on Its Adoption Worldwide and Lessons Learnt.\" \u003c/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003eInt. J. Environ. Res. Public Health\u003c/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;color:#787878;\"\u003e 2023, 20, 154.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"26","Month":"March","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=41","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-815517436_1200x800.jpg","ImageDescription":"Image: iStock","Title":"Opening Remarks by Associate Professor James Alvin Low, Knowledge Translation Lead, GERI at the Knowledge-to-Practice Webinar on Electronic Health Records and Face-to-face Communication (1 Mar 23)","Category":"Speeches","Releasedate":"\/Date(1677600000000)\/","Desp":"Jointly organised by GERI and the NTU Ageing Research Institute for Society and Education (ARISE), the webinar saw researchers from both institutes discuss Electronic Health Records and communication modes in the context of caring for older patients.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:#666666;font-size:11px;\"\u003e​Image: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e​​Good afternoon to my distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome and thank you for joining us.​​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the second in a two-part series of our Knowledge-to-Practice webinars, where GERI and the NTU Ageing Research Institute for Society and Education (NTU-ARISE) have helped to organise and bring forward some of our research findings and scientific evidence via this platform. In the first webinar, we looked at cognition, memory and cognitive decline amongst older adults in Singapore.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eToday, we will shift gears and focus on something that is close to and very important in healthcare practice in hospitals, in long-term care facilities and almost everywhere else. We are going to spotlight Electronic Health Records and communication in the context of caring for the older person and the older patient.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eBefore we go into this, I would like to step back and situate the concerns and themes of today’s discussion within the larger shifts that are happening in our healthcare system.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs we speak, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (under) Yishun Health is undergoing a sea change in the software or the clinical management system that we use to manage the hospital. Some of you may understand some of the trials, tribulations and teething problems as we use a new system to care for our patients at large, and the elderly specifically. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is a move towards relationship-based care, towards wellness and preventive care, and also towards moving care from the institutions to the patient’s own home and into the community. Population health is becoming very important.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are many areas and practices in healthcare, but the thing that ties us together is the ability to communicate and connect. The HealthierSG initiative is also a case example of where we are moving towards, which is relationship-based care.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen we talk about relationships, it is really about communication, because the lifeline of all relationships has to do with effective communication. Communication is not only verbal, but also what is documented and what is written. Communication is multidimensional and encompasses everything—the interaction and connection between humans, people, places and so on.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnderpinning this national effort (towards relationship-based care) is the broader spirit of breaking down silos in our ecosystem – we know that we need to integrate things – and fostering greater interconnectedness. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the enablers for this is technology. Technology should not be an end in itself, but a means towards an end, which is to provide effective, precise and accurate communication between the various players and stakeholders in the healthcare system.​ Some examples would be the National Electronic Health Records that is being developed and the Next Generation Electronic Medical Records that is being introduced.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the end of the day, what we hope to achieve out of all of this is to provide good, better and safer care for our patients, especially our elderly, in a patient-centred and cost-effective way. However, what also needs to be addressed, in particular, is how these forces of communication and technology shape the care of our older patients.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn parallel, for many of our seniors, their face-to-face interactions with their doctors still form the cornerstone of the patient-doctor encounter and healthcare experience. This is an area that cannot be abandoned or under-emphasised. At the end of the day, there is nothing like the personal encounter between the patient and the healthcare worker. Healthcare is predicated on and underpinned by these relationships.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eToday’s webinar is therefore timely and relevant as it will address some these considerations, opportunities and challenges for our older patients, across traditional and electronic media. We will hear findings from collaborative research done by GERI and NTU-ARISE on harnessing text-mining analytics to predict readmission, as well as the nuances of patient-doctor interactions in our geriatric clinics.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe are also glad to have with us our guest speaker, Dr Lee Jer En (Head and Senior Consultant, Post-Acute and Rehabilitative Care) from Woodlands Health, who will bring us the acute-care perspective on the Electronic Health Records systems for seniors in the hospital. Dr Lee will discuss whether it is a boon or bane for the care of the older person.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeyond patient care, this broader spirit of breaking down silos is also important in terms of research and academic work. Today’s webinar has been made possible precisely because GERI and NTU-ARISE came together five years ago, in the spirit of collaboration, to pursue research on the older person.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eSince then, five joint projects have taken flight, and researchers from both institutes have carved out new, multidisciplinary and translatable knowledge to support our national eldercare practice and policy formulation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn behalf of GERI, I would like to express my appreciation to NTU-ARISE for their support in working with GERI through the years, as well as all researchers for their dedication and hard work. I hope that the drive to collaborate, disseminate and translate this meaningful knowledge will continue beyond formalities, formal platforms and parameters. A special note of thanks also goes out to the organising team from NTU-ARISE and GERI.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith that, wishing everyone a fruitful afternoon of learning and knowledge exchange ahead. Thank you.​​​\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"41","Month":"March","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=25","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%2010%20Feb%202023.PNG","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%2010%20Feb%202023.PNG","Title":"Understanding Older Adults’ Response to Pandemics: Lessons Learnt from COVID-19","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1677081600000)\/","Desp":"Themed “Understanding Older Adults’ Response to Pandemics: Lessons Learnt from COVID-19”, GERI’s Knowledge to Practice Series webinar covered topics that included mental health and socio-emotional wellbeing, the use of technology to connect and care for older adults, and understanding the factors that shaped responses to the pandemic. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThemed \"Understanding Older Adults\u0027 Response to Pandemics: Lessons Learnt from COVID-19\", GERI\u0027s Knowledge to Practice Series webinar covered topics that included mental health and socio-emotional wellbeing, the use of technology to connect and care for older adults, and understanding the factors that shaped responses to the pandemic. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Ms%20Charlene%20Chang%20speaking%20at%20GERI%27s%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20webinar%20(10%20Feb%202023).png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:500px;height:282px;\" /\u003e\n   \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMs Charlene Chang, Group Director, Ageing Planning Office, Ministry of Health, opened the webinar with her welcome speech. Ms Chang highlighted the pandemic\u0027s impact on the older adults and recounted the measures taken by the government in partnership with partners to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our seniors. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMs Chang also spoke about the positive takeaways from the pandemic and how important it is to continue building on the lessons learnt, to improve the way things are done to support our seniors to age well as Singapore moves into an endemic phase. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrganised by GERI in collaboration with MOH Ageing Planning Office, the Chapter of Geriatricians, College of Physicians, Singapore and the Society for Geriatric Medicine Singapore, the webinar was held on 10 February 2023 and attended by 197 participants from acute and community hospitals, nursing homes, senior care centres, social and community service organisations and healthcare research institutes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Associate%20Professor%20Ding%20Yew%20Yoong%20speaking%20at%20GERI%27s%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20webinar%20(10%20Feb%202023).png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:500px;height:282px;\" /\u003e\n   \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI\u0027s Executive Director Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong concluded the webinar by observing that the insights and enduring lessons drawn from the research will contribute to efforts that help strengthen the healthcare and psychosocial support nets for seniors in Singapore.  \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAssociate Professor Ding said, \"What we need is a more holistic approach. We have to account for the increasingly complex interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect the well-being of our seniors.  We also have to tweak our approaches, enhance supports and interventions for our older adults, as Singapore prepares for – hopefully not, but a possible – \"Disease X\" that might emerge in the future.\" \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClick \n      \u003ca title=\"Understanding Older Adults’ Response to Pandemics: Lessons Learnt from COVID-19\" href=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20Understanding%20Older%20adults%20response%20to%20pandemics.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e for programme and speakers.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA brief synopsis of each of the presentations can be found below.  You can also view the Knowledge to Practice Series Webinar Brief: click \u003ca href=\"/Documents/KPS%20Brief_Understand%20Older%20Adults’%20Response%20to%20Pandemics_Lessons%20Learnt%20from%20COVID-19.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor more information about the presentations, please email us at \n      \u003ca href=\"mailto:enquiry@geri.com.sg\"\u003eenquiry@geri.com.sg\u003c/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong style=\"color:#288054;\"\u003ePRESENTATIONS\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ctable width=\"100%\" class=\"ms-rteTable-default\" cellspacing=\"0\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"ms-rteTable-default\" style=\"width:100%;\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003e\"A Comparative Study on Mental Health and Adaptability between Older and Younger Adults during the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker in Singapore\" \u003c/strong\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003eBy Dr Tou Nien Xiang\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\n                  \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Dr%20Tou%20Nien%20Xiang%20speaking%20at%20GERI%27s%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20webinar%20(10%20Feb%202023).png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:500px;height:280px;\" /\u003e\n               \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Tou Nien Xiang\u0027s study examined differences in mental health, adaptive behaviours, social support, perceived stress, digital media usage, and perceived change in circumstances between younger and older adults during the circuit breaker in Singapore.  Below is a summary of key findings from Dr Tou\u0027s presentation: \u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOlder adults were reported to have better mental health and perceived less stress concerns during the circuit-breaker period as compared to their younger counterparts.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eAdaptability is important for maintaining mental well-being especially for younger adults.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eBe mindful of ageism stereotyping in portraying older adults as a homogeneous, vulnerable group.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"ms-rteTable-default\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003e\"Bridging Distances in Times of Covid-19: Does Communication Technology Acceptance and Use Combat Loss of Socio-emotional Well-being in Older Adults?\" \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBy Dr Serene Nai\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\n                  \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Dr%20Serene%20Nai%20speaking%20at%20GERI%27s%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20webinar%20(10%20Feb%202023).png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:500px;height:314px;\" /\u003e\n               \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Serene Nai presented her work on the effect of prolonged social isolation on older adults\u0027 mental and physical health. Her study looked at the older persons\u0027 attitudes towards technology (ATT) and perceived ease of use of technology (PEOU) to discover how they communicated with others, as well as their general well-being during the circuit breaker in Singapore. Below is a summary of key findings from Dr Nai\u0027s presentation: \u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eGreater acceptance and competency of communication technology was associated with greater emotional support and subjective well-being amongst older adults. \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eOlder adults do share that a motivation to learn technology is that they understand that technology is essential will be used more often in the future\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eOlder adults further share that they are usually reluctant to learn technology for fear of mishandling, lack of ability to learn (due to old age), and lack of time\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eFinally, older adults reflect that communication technology is easier to use when they are less anxious handling the technology and when they have people around to support their learning\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"ms-rteTable-default\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003e\"Video Consultations for Older Adults with Multimorbidity during COVID-19 Pandemic\" \u003c/strong\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003eBy Dr Lee Eng Sing\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Dr%20Lee%20Eng%20Sing%20speaking%20at%20GERI%27s%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20webinar%20(10%20Feb%202023).png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:500px;height:281px;\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Lee Eng Sing shared his work which explored the use of video consultations to provide care for older adults with multimorbidity during the pandemic. Although the potential of video consultations has been explored in several studies, the pandemic presented an unprecedented opportunity to explore the use of this technological innovation in a time when physical distancing was imperative. Below is a summary of Dr Lee\u0027s presentation:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhen compared to in-person consultations, video consultations (VCs) appealed to the first-hand users like family physicians, in terms of improved team dynamics, better queue management and continuity of care. Likewise, patients appreciated the more relaxed environment, no traveling time, better eye-contact and attention from physicians during VC. However, additional tasks for preparation of VC and post VC were incurred by the service providers.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn order to achieve an optimal VC experience, smooth workflow in the administrative, logistical, technical, executory, and communicative domains are pertinent. Successful implementation of VC also requires institutional readiness to support in terms of the logistical, financial and manpower planning, and to augment the existing technological model to cater to the needs for an improved VC experience.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe sociocultural, professional, regulatory, legal, and political climate should also be taken into consideration in the transition towards the scale-up of VC. Some key aspects include addressing possible worsening of social deprivation and digital divide, safeguarding professional liabilities of physicians, coordinating the institutional with the national pace of implementation, and aligning governing policies nationwide. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"ms-rteTable-default\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003e\"Combating Misinformation, Fear and Stigma in Response to the Covid-19 Outbreak: An International Collaboration between Canada and Singapore\" \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBy Dr Christine Fahim \u0026 Dr Yu Chou Chuen\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\n                  \u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Dr%20Christine%20Fahim%20and%20Dr%20Yu%20Chou%20Chuen%20speaking%20at%20GERI%27s%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20webinar%20(10%20Feb%202023).png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:650px;height:209px;\" /\u003e\n               \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Christine Fahim and Dr Yu Chou Chuen shared findings from their international study which helped provide guidance on messaging to reduce misinformation, stigma, and fear during an outbreak such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is a summary of their presentation:\n               \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n                  \u003cem\u003eFrom the study in Canada\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n               \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eParticipants in Canada feared stigmatization during the COVID-19 pandemic because of various demographic characteristics including race/ethnicity, political beliefs, age, or occupation. \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn our studies, over half of participants surveyed or interviewed encountered misinformation during the pandemic; 58% had challenges identifying or appraising COVID-19 information; differences in perceptions were observed by gender and age.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to misinformation and stigmatization. Our research provides insights on the channels the public used to obtain information and provides suggestions on how communications during public health emergencies could be optimized to reach subsets of the population while aiming to reduce prevalence of misinformation or stigmatization.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n                  \u003cem\u003eFrom the study in Singapore\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn Singapore, perceived stigma existed largely towards dormitory workers and healthcare workers. Personal experiences of stigma were not widespread and while majority of participants reported being unafraid of stigmatisation, some were cautious of situations where they could be stigmatised. \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eKey drivers of stigma and misinformation were identified, such as fear of infection and overseas information sources. \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eTrust in local sources for information, fact-checking, and the manner of information dissemination were suggested to facilitate the prevention or reduction of stigma and misinformation.  \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"ms-rteTable-default\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003e\"Evidence-based Position Statement – COVID-19 Vaccinations in Frail Older Adults\" \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBy Dr Matthew Chen \u0026 Dr Jonathan Gao\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Dr%20Matthew%20Chen%20and%20Dr%20Jonathan%20Gao%20speaking%20at%20GERI%27s%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20webinar.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:650px;height:184px;\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Matthew Chen and Dr Jonathan Gao shared their study where they were able to synthesize available evidence on the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines for frail older adults. Their findings were supplemented with gathering informed consensus from experts in geriatric medicine. A summary of their presentation is below: \u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSystematic review is generally regarded as the highest level of evidence, but the methodological rigour involved means that conducting such a review is time-consuming and may not meet the time-sensitive needs of stakeholders.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eRapid review involves streamlining and accelerating the process of a systematic review to provide evidence to stakeholders quickly, and is being used by policymakers and health agencies internationally.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn cases where there is a lack of clear evidence for a topic (e.g. COVID-19 vaccination for frail older adults), the Delphi technique can be used to supplement the findings of a rapid review by gathering informed consensus among a group of experts to provide preliminary guidance to stakeholders.\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"ms-rteTable-default\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003e\"Factors Influencing the Decision to Uptake the Covid-19 Vaccine: A Scoping Review and A Mixed Methods Study of Older Adults in Singapore\" \u003c/strong\u003e\n                  \u003cstrong\u003eBy Dr Yu Chou Chuen\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI%20KPS%20Webinar%202023-02-10/Dr%20Yu%20Chou%20Chuen%20speaking%20at%20GERI%27s%20Knowledge%20to%20Practice%20Series%20webinar%20(10%20Feb%202023).png\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin:5px;width:500px;height:282px;\" /\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Yu Chou Chuen\u0027s presentation examined various factors that shaped the older adults\u0027 decisions regarding COVID-19 vaccination in Singapore. Through a Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) Dr Yu presented on the barriers and facilitators toward vaccination.  Key findings from his presentation are as follows: \n                  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe study showed that four of the eight domains in TDF covered in the survey were significant predictors of a composite measure of overall support in Singapore\u0027s vaccination programme. This allows us to understand factors associated with vaccination support. The TDF can potentially be useful in predicting vaccination support in future pandemics.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eTrust in government an important predictor of overall support. Continuing to build and maintain trust in government is important. \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eStrong endorsement on vaccine safety not apparent for older adults. This suggests addressing doubts and safety concerns continue to be important.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003e   \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"News","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"25","Month":"February","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=24","ImageUrl":null,"ImageDescription":null,"Title":"Using theory of diffusion on innovation to explore the implementation of a novel care model in Singapore","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1676908800000)\/","Desp":"Using an exploratory approach, a GERI study was able to identify innovative components within the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), explain the rationale for using certain change strategies, as well as interpret implementation challenges through the providers\u0027 lens. The findings help identify crucial ingredients for primary care transformation in an Asian context.","Content":"\u003cp\u003eThe Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is an advanced primary care model (PC) that has gained popularity in recent years. Such a model addresses the service gaps for complex chronic patients but are known to be time-consuming and costly. Without appropriate change strategies, primary care providers may experience failure and financial losses when implementing reforms.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo understand the processes of PC transformation during the early implementation of a new PCMH in Singapore, this study adopted an exploratory approach. Researchers employed a predominantly grounded theory approach, which is a qualitative methodology that constructs theory based on emerging patterns from empirical data to explain patterns of phenomenon observed. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis data-driven approach eventually revealed the connection between the realities experienced by providers of the PCMH and the theory of diffusion of innovations—the first study to make such a linkage. By using this theory, the researchers were able to identify innovative components within the PCMH, explain the rationale for using certain change strategies, as well as interpret providers’ experiences and perceptions when encountering implementation challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study contributes to practice and policy considerations by identifying crucial ingredients for primary care transformation in an Asian context, including time for experimentation, negotiations and adaptations of the innovations; leadership for facilitating and providing clear directions; standardised methods for risk stratification and empanelment; direct communication between innovators and service providers; and awareness-building for the innovations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe full publication is available online in the Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health “\u003cem\u003eEarly Implementation of a Patient-Centered Medical Home in Singapore: A Qualitative Study Using \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eTheory on Diffusion of Innovations\u003c/em\u003e” URL: \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111160\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111160\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"24","Month":"February","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=40","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-1311014934_1200x726.jpg","ImageDescription":"Image: iStock","Title":"Closing Remarks by Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI at the Knowledge-to-Practice Webinar on Understanding Older Adults’ Responses to Pandemics (10 Feb 23)","Category":"Speeches","Releasedate":"\/Date(1675958400000)\/","Desp":"GERI researchers and collaborators presented new evidence on health challenges that affected older adults during COVID-19, with a view to informing approaches, enhancing supports and interventions older Singaporeans in readiness for future public health crises.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:#666666;font-size:11px;\"\u003eImage: iStock\u003c/em\u003e​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eA good afternoon to my distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eOver the course of this afternoon, we had a robust sharing and exchange of knowledge, as we heard GERI researchers and collaborators present new evidence on health challenges that affected older adults during COVID-19.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe are also fortunate to have our partners from policy and practice on the speaking panel today: from the Ageing Planning Office at the Ministry of Health, Singapore; from the Society for Geriatric Medicine Singapore; Chapter of Geriatricians; our clinical partners and, from across the world, at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs we come to the end of the webinar, I would like to take some time to reflect on some of the broader themes that have emerged today, which I frame as the 3 “Rs”.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first “R” is “Reveal”. The pandemic revealed to us how older adults were disproportionately affected by shocks and changes in their environments. The pandemic also laid bare both new and long-standing needs of stakeholders, as well as knowledge gaps. These needed to be understood and addressed by the research community in a time-sensitive manner.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe second “R” is “Response”. Despite the challenges that arose amidst the climate of uncertainty, the global research community – and including those in Singapore – was galvanised to action. Over here in GERI, we also rose to this challenge, and worked in close concert with collaborators and practitioners both locally and abroad. Together, we produced timely and targeted research to aid the national fight against the virus with a focus on older adults. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut the last “R” – that I would argue is the most important to us, particularly as of today – is “Relevance”.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn three days’ time, Singapore will transit to DORSCON Green, with a step-down of some of our COVID-19 measures that were previously implemented. But I would say that in spite of this welcome development, the core insights and enduring lessons – drawn from our research and shared today – are certainly relevant beyond the pandemic. These will contribute to efforts, by policymakers and practitioners, to fool-proof our healthcare and psychosocial support nets for our seniors. This is in readiness for a very uncertain world ahead, for more than one reason.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo, what we really need is a more holistic approach: No simple solutions. We have to account for the increasingly complex interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect the well-being of our seniors. We also have to tweak our approaches, enhance supports and interventions for our older adults, as Singapore prepares for “Disease X” that might emerge in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eBefore I conclude, let me again say a few words of thanks. I would like to extend my gratitude to our researchers, who have done the work and shared their research today. I am positive that your hard work will ultimately help our seniors age well. \u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpeaking of translation, today’s webinar is also another example of how GERI commits to ensuring that our research reaches key stakeholders. For that, I would like to thank our collaborators and colleagues for organising this session.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd with that, on a Friday afternoon: Thank you, and have an excellent evening ahead.​​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"40","Month":"February","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=23","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dr%20Charlene%20Lau_GERI.jpeg","ImageDescription":"Dr Charlene Lau Research Fellow GERI","Title":"Meet our GERI Researchers | Dr Charlene Lau","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1674662400000)\/","Desp":"In this series, we chat with Research Fellow Dr Charlene Lau on her research beginnings as a polytechnic lecturer, working in a multi-disciplinary and collaborative environment, and why we should pay attention to frailty.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ctable class=\"ms-formtable\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-top:8px;width:100%;\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" class=\"ms-formbody\" width=\"350px\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDr\nCharlene Lau is a Research Fellow at GERI. Her research focus is on physical\nactivity and exercises for older adults. She is interested in examining ways to\nencourage uptake of physical activity among older adults and the implementation\nof community-based physical activity programmes. She holds a PhD in\nPhysiotherapy. \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn\nthis series featuring GERI\u0027s researchers, we chat with Dr Lau on her\nresearch beginnings as a polytechnic lecturer, working in a\nmulti-disciplinary and collaborative environment, and why we should pay\nattention to frailty.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow did you first get into research? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003eResearch is an important element in education and it is crucial that educators keep abreast with the latest developments and knowledge in their respective fields of teaching. Thus, I first started my research journey as a polytechnic lecturer. My involvement in research activities then encompassed the supervision of Final Year Projects of diploma students, the Science Mentorship Programme for secondary school students, as well as serving as the Principal Investigator of externally funded and commissioned projects. Those early experiences served as stepping stones for my eventual foray into ageing research.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat sparked your interest in studying ageing?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003eI was previously working on a study examining factors associated with the heart rate variability of occupational drivers. The majority of the studied population were older adults. Consequently, I felt a growing interest to be involved in studying active ageing, with the meaningful aim of improving the quality of life of older adults.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are you currently working on? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003eI am currently working on a hybrid study, examining the effectiveness and implementation of the 4M (Mobility, Mood and Mentation, Medication and What Matters) framework for hospitalised patients, in collaboration with a public hospital in Singapore. Working collaboratively with a Singapore-based research institute and a GERI team, we are studying the effects of intrinsic capacity on social participation and the factors associated with this relationship, with reference to World Health Organisation (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Additionally, together with a government agency and a GERI team, we are evaluating the implementation of an active ageing programme in the community.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen it comes to healthy ageing, the spotlight is often on combating chronic diseases, while the prevalence of frailty – a state of increased vulnerability to stressor events – often flies under the radar. Given your \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1159/000526479\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eresearch on physical function such as gait in older adults\u003c/a\u003e, why do you think it is important for us to pay attention to frailty and how can we better address its impacts?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003eFrailty is frequently associated with ageing, but it is not – and does not have to be – a given as one gets older. We should thus aim to delay the onset of frailty by taking preventive measures. The definition of frailty has also been extended beyond physical frailty; for example, there is growing attention being paid to frailty in the cognitive and social spheres too. Hence, a multi-prong approach should be taken to manage or prevent the occurrence of frailty starting from a younger age, with physical activity as one of the important elements.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy do you think your work at GERI is important and what kind of impact do you ultimately hope to create? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003eOverall, research at GERI is informed by GERI’s Knowledge Translation framework, which emphasises implementation, dissemination and exchange as important elements of research development. This way, insights garnered from our research reaches people who can benefit from it. Specific to my current research, I think it is crucial to examine the implementation of an effective programme for older adults (based on a smaller scale study) in order to facilitate the scalability and sustainability of the programme, so that a larger population of our seniors can benefit from it. I hope that my work in this area will go towards achieving this ultimate goal of helping seniors age well.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat do you like about working at GERI? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color:transparent;\"\u003eI am grateful to be given opportunities to work with a multi-disciplinary research team, from geriatricians, sociologists, psychologists, sport scientists to allied health practitioners, for intellectual exchange. Additionally, the opportunity to work collaboratively with various stakeholders, such as government agencies and active ageing centres,  allows me to have a better understanding of implementation and operational challenges on the ground. Another positive is the interactions I have with older adults in the course of my field work, which enables me to gain different perspectives about ageing. Hence, these meaningful experiences have helped me explore various research opportunities. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications, Dr Charlene Lau","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"23","Month":"January","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=21","ImageUrl":null,"ImageDescription":null,"Title":"Rapid Review Study: GERI findings help provide timely understanding in measuring older adults’ intrinsic capacity","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1673884800000)\/","Desp":"In 2015, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) World Report on Ageing and Health introduced the concept of intrinsic capacity (IC) to define healthy ageing. To address the knowledge gap on how IC has been measured in older adults, GERI researchers conducted a timely rapid review that has contributed to the ongoing pilot implementation of WHO’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) guidelines worldwide.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003eIn 2015, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565042\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWorld Health Organisation’s (WHO) World Report on Ageing and Health\u003c/a\u003e introduced the concept of intrinsic capacity (IC) to define healthy ageing. IC consists of five domains, namely locomotion, vitality, cognitive, psychological, and sensory, which will determine the functional ability of a person in his/her environment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003eSome studies have started to adopt commonly used measures to assess IC in different settings and populations. However, measures in these 5 domains are yet to be standardised, with a lack of consensus on how scores from the different domains should be computed to yield a representative composite index of IC. It is also unclear what factors are associated with low IC in older adults.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003eTo address the knowledge gap on how IC has been measured in older adults, GERI researchers conducted a \u003ca href=\"http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1622-6\"\u003erapid review\u003c/a\u003e to provide timely information on how measurements of the domains were operationalised to date, along with understanding factors and outcomes associated with IC. Such rapid reviews are a form of evidence synthesis that helps to provide timely information for decision-making or when literature on the topic is limited.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003eThe timeliness of GERI\u0027s rapid review study has contributed to the ongoing pilot implementation of \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/teams/maternal-newborn-child-adolescent-health-and-ageing/ageing-and-health/integrated-care-for-older-people-icope\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWHO\u0027s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE)\u003c/a\u003e guidelines worldwide. Evidence garnered will also facilitate better understanding of individual functional trajectories and vulnerabilities of older adults during the current COVID-19 pandemic.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe full publication is available online in the J Nutr Health Aging “A Rapid Review of the Measurement of Intrinsic Capacity in Older Adults” (17 March, 2021, \u003c/em\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1622-6\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ehttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1622-6\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cem\u003e).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"21","Month":"January","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=22","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dr%20Jonathan%20Gao_GERI.png","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Dr%20Jonathan%20Gao_GERI.png","Title":"Meet our GERI Researchers | Dr Jonathan Gao","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1673884800000)\/","Desp":"In this feature series on GERI\u0027s researchers, we chat with Research Fellow Dr Jonathan Gao on the knock-on effects of caregiving stress, the challenges that a shifting healthcare landscape may pose for Singapore\u0027s seniors, and why video games can be helpful.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:14.6667px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003eDr Jonathan Gao is a Research Fellow at GERI. His current research focus is on caregiving burden experienced by informal caregivers as well as evidence synthesis. He holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a PhD in Social Science.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr style=\"font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;font-size:17.3333px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#73bba3;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn this series featuring GERI\u0027s researchers, we catch up with Dr Gao on the knock-on effects of caregiver stress, the challenges that a shifting healthcare landscape may pose for Singapore\u0027s seniors, and why video games can be helpful.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow did you first get into research? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003eOriginally, I took an undergraduate degree in psychology as I wanted to work towards becoming a psychologist. During my honours year, I was involved in a research project on hazard perception for drivers and I enjoyed the experience. That was when I started to consider a career in research. I became aware of an opening for a PhD research project in a conversation with  my university Professor and decided to go for it.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat sparked your interest in studying ageing?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003eI enjoyed my PhD research experience but thought that my work was far too abstract, and wanted to work on projects that were more concrete and meaningful. By chance, I came across a vacancy for a research position at GERI. Reading up about the Institute, I thought that the work done was meaningful and highly relevant to Singapore, given our ageing population. Hence my interest in this area was piqued.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are you currently working on? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003eCurrently, I am working on a review examining the influence of different factors on caregiving, which I hope can be used to inform GERI’s future research on caregiving. I am also involved in a project on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among older adults, and I hope that our findings can be helpful in guiding policymakers if a similar pandemic were to occur in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou have delved into some compelling ageing issues such as \u003c/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2022.12\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOVID-19 vaccination for frail older persons\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e and caregiver support. As Singapore shifts to living with COVID and steps down from acute to community care, what do you think are some possible challenges facing our seniors?  \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne challenge is in getting older adults to keep their COVID-19 vaccination status up-to-date. Some older adults that I have interacted with are not keen on the idea of additional boosters, either because they no longer see COVID-19 as a major issue or because they have some lingering doubts about the vaccine. Even as efforts are being made to lower the barriers to vaccination for older adults and encourage them to be vaccinated, there may be some difficulties in protecting this vulnerable group.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother challenge is that many older adults are cared for by informal caregivers (e.g. their adult children or foreign domestic workers). This can be stressful for them, and being cared for by overburdened caregivers can lead to poorer health outcomes for older adults, or in some extreme cases, elder abuse. Hence, there is a need to reduce the burden on informal caregivers. Thankfully, awareness of this issue is starting to gain traction in Singapore, and multiple efforts are being made to help them. Hopefully, we will start to see improvements in time to come.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy do you think your work at GERI is important and what kind of impact do you ultimately hope to create? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is commonly accepted in Singapore that adult children should be ‘filial’ and take care of their ageing parents. Hence, there is a certain stigma against using care services such as day care and nursing homes. However, caregiving can take a heavy toll on adult children caregivers and overwhelm hired foreign domestic workers (FDW). These are difficult issues, but I hope that my work can have a small impact on reducing the stigma against the use of care services, improve the utility of such services for caregivers, and to reduce the toll of caregiving for both adult children and FDW.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat do you like about working at GERI and what have been some memorable experiences so far? \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI would say that GERI has a supportive environment for researchers and a wide network, allowing me to collaborate with healthcare professionals and researchers from other institutions on interesting projects.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe most memorable experience so far was embarking on a rapid review combined with a Delphi study on COVID-19 vaccination for frail older adults. Back then, COVID-19 vaccines had just become available in Singapore, and there was an urgency to make sense of the limited evidence available on these vaccines in relation to frail older adults, in order to guide healthcare practitioners. This was my first research project after joining GERI and I was excited to work on a timely and meaningful study, and to make a small contribution to the national fight against the virus.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some personal interests and activities that you do in your spare time that help protect against functional decline?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003eI like to run and let my mind wander to get that runner’s high and to let my mind take a break. Aside from that, I am generally a homebody, preferring to stay at home with a good book or game. I like to think that playing video games helps with mental agility too, given that it requires some thinking and planning. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications, Dr Jonathan Gao","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"22","Month":"January","Year":"2023"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=20","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/GERI_AssocProfDingYewYoongatSMUROSA.jpg","ImageDescription":"Image: SMU ROSA","Title":"Healthy Ageing in the COVID-19 era","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1667836800000)\/","Desp":"GERI’s Executive Director Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong observed that healthy ageing among older adults, as the COVID-19 era has demonstrated, calls for targeted and holistic efforts to strengthen both intrinsic capacity and extrinsic environments—key to preventing functional decline among older Singaporeans.","Content":"\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e​Image: SMU ROSA\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGERI\u0027s Executive Director Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong observed that healthy ageing among older adults, as the COVID-19 era has demonstrated, calls for targeted and holistic efforts to strengthen both intrinsic capacity and extrinsic environments—key to preventing functional decline among older Singaporeans.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpeaking at the SMU Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA)\u0027s \u003ca href=\"https://news.smu.edu.sg/news/2022/11/01/social-support-enhances-healthcare-utilisation-older-adults\"\u003e2nd Annual Symposium on Successful Ageing\u003c/a\u003e (1 Nov 2022), Associate Professor Ding said, \"One unexpected outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it has foregrounded the crucial role of supporting environments, such as social relationships, health-social services, and public policies, in promoting the well-being of older persons. A whole-of-society approach is needed to tailor these supports to the unique needs of Singapore\u0027s older population, in addition to developing and maintaining their physical and mental capacities. Together, this will go a long way in advancing healthy ageing in Singapore.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn his presentation, Associate Professor Ding also highlighted the need to examine healthy ageing from the individual, relationship, community and societal levels of the ecosystem. Given the heterogeneity of the population of older adults, Associate Professor Ding cautioned that more work had to be done to identify the different sub-groups of seniors in order to tackle ageing concerns in a more targeted manner. Innovative strategies to enhance intrinsic capacity and extrinsic environments – to be co-created, piloted, adapted, implemented and scaled up – could provide a roadmap for preventing functional decline among older adults in the COVID-19 era and beyond. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring the Symposium\u0027s Keynote Panel moderated by ROSA Director Professor Paulin Straughan, Associate Professor Ding shared his thoughts on how training for Singapore\u0027s healthcare professionals could be enhanced in readiness for the national \u003ca href=\"https://www.healthiersg.gov.sg/\"\u003eHealthierSG\u003c/a\u003e initiative. In particular, Associate Professor Ding identified the aspects of person-centred practice, an adaptive and supportive ecosystem and a culture of mentorship between senior and junior practitioners as beneficial elements for healthcare professionals as Singapore moves towards HealthierSG.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"20","Month":"November","Year":"2022"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=37","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-956499912_1200x900.jpg","ImageDescription":"Image: iStock","Title":"Closing Remarks by Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI at the Knowledge-to-Practice Webinar on Understanding Cognitive Decline in Older Adults (4 Nov 2022)","Category":"Speeches","Releasedate":"\/Date(1667491200000)\/","Desp":"Jointly organised by GERI and the NTU Ageing Research Institute for Society and Education (ARISE), the webinar saw researchers from both institutes share their findings yielding practical applications to support older persons living with cognitive decline and dementia.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"color:#666666;font-size:11px;\"\u003e​​Image: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e​​\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eA very good late afternoon to my distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.​​\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout five years ago, GERI and the NTU-Ageing Research Institute for Society and Education​ (ARISE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)​ to pursue research opportunities in frailty, psychosocial wellbeing and community care of older adults, as well as health systems and policies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFive years on, the outlook on ageing has become more complex. Singapore is rapidly ageing, and the present and future needs of our seniors are also evolving and becoming more complex. Under the auspices of our MOU, researchers from GERI and ARISE have steadily conducted research to address some of these challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis afternoon, we have had a very good opportunity to hear from researchers of both institutes presenting findings from their work that can help enrich our collective understanding of cognitive decline in older adults in Singapore.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn particular, I am also heartened to have with us Ms See Yen Theng from the Agency ​for Integrated Care sharing on the care of persons living with dementia in the community. We are reminded of the critical role that community and healthcare partners play in the nexus between policy and research, in supporting people living with dementia and their caregivers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eA significant obstacle to ageing-in-place is functional decline, in particular cognitive decline, and we have heard our researchers approach this from a variety of fresh angles today.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e​Recognising that we cannot afford to regard cognitive impairment and physical frailty in silos, Associate Professor Tan Chin Hong and Dr Justin Chew’s research has taken both in tandem, thereby unlocking new insights on the links between these two conditions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeyond the dollars and cents of healthcare costs, the research conducted by Associate Professor Andy Ho and Dr Allyn Hum has instead shone a light on the more elusive yet critical matter of unseen dementia caregiving challenges – and blessings – in Singapore.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThirdly, technology is another frontier that holds immense potential in helping seniors age-in-place. From a proactive angle, Associate Professor Domenico Campolo and Dr Iris Rawtaer’s study is a valuable exploration of how robotic technology can provide cognitive and motor training through errorless learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eI am encouraged to see such research yielding practical applications that can support older persons with cognitive decline in living well in the community, and I sincerely hope that you have all found today’s presentations, as well as Q\u0026A session, enlightening and useful.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn a related note, I look forward to the research teams taking intentional steps forward to translate their study findings towards practice and policy, which is what really matters.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt GERI, we continue to engage and collaborate with partners like NTU-ARISE, to tap on each other’s multidisciplinary expertise, and as a result, develop and sharpen the quality of our translational research on ageing. And so, I would like to extend my gratitude to researchers from both institutions for their hard work, and it is my hope that the networks forged through this activity will open up new paths for future collaborations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis webinar and the KPS series signals GERI’s ongoing commitment to translating research knowledge and putting information in the hands of where it is needed. I look forward to next year’s webinars as well.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is important for me at this juncture to thank our colleagues from ARISE and GERI who have organised this webinar and made it possible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003eWith that, thank you, and have a good evening and an excellent weekend ahead.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"37","Month":"November","Year":"2022"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=19","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Polypharmacy_GERI%20LinkedIn%20[iStock]%20copy.jpeg","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Polypharmacy_GERI%20LinkedIn%20%5BiStock%5D%20copy.jpeg","Title":"Modified Delphi Study: Taking a closer look at improving prescribing for older adults with multimorbidity","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1657641600000)\/","Desp":"With a rising concern in potentially inappropriate prescribing among older adults, GERI conducted a modified Delphi study across a period of ten months in 2020. ","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003e​\u003c/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:12px;\"\u003eImage: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith a rising concern in potentially inappropriate prescribing among older adults, GERI conducted a modified Delphi study across a period of ten months in 2020. The aim of this study was to identify key components and strategies for the construction of a context-relevant intervention to facilitate appropriate prescribing in outpatient clinics in Singapore\u0027s public hospitals.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Delphi technique is commonly used in health services research to obtain experts’ consensus on topics where evidence is lacking. This particular study was conducted over two rounds using the modified Delphi technique, where the first round began with a questionnaire based on results from a scoping review conducted by GERI. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough this study, seven intervention elements and 14 potential strategies in the form of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) were identified as important to be considered for adoption in the development of an intervention to optimise prescribing.  \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFull publication is available online via subscription.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41999-021-00566-5\"\u003ehttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41999-021-00566-5\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"Teresa Elizabeth Koh, Tang Jia Ying, Penny Lun","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"19","Month":"July","Year":"2022"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=39","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/iStock-968425684_1200x900.jpg","ImageDescription":"Image: iStock","Title":"Closing Remarks by Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director, GERI at the Singapore Population Health Symposium (29 Apr 2022)","Category":"Speeches","Releasedate":"\/Date(1651161600000)\/","Desp":"Co-organised by SingHealth and GERI, the Symposium marked the launch of the SingHealth Centre for Population Health Research and Implementation, with experts sharing their insights in Life Space research.","Content":"\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size:11px;color:#666666;\"\u003e​​Image: iStock\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it has been my pleasure to join all of you this afternoon to witness the launch of the SingHealth Centre for Population Health Research and Implementation, and also to listen to experts in various fields sharing their insights in Life Space research.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll these findings highlight the impact that our environment has on our physical and cognitive health as we age. It is through such studies and the sharing of the findings that we can build up our know-how to understand, assess and modify factors that help people experience their life space in ways that enhance physical and mental well-being, particularly as they age.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eLooking ahead, GERI will continue to engage and collaborate with our partners, such as CPHRI, to develop and engage in various Life Space research. Our research partnership in the ongoing Elderly Life Activity-Space Envelopes (or EASE) Project is a good example.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is my hope that this variety of research will give us a better understanding of barriers that limit healthy ageing in later life. In fact, such findings will have practical applications that can help support older persons, allowing them to age in place within their communities.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eI trust that this Symposium has been a catalyst to constructive conversations on this topic, and that they will lead to future collaborations that will grow our collective knowledge and capabilities to benefit seniors in Singapore.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThank you, and I wish you a good evening ahead.​\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"39","Month":"April","Year":"2022"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=16","ImageUrl":null,"ImageDescription":null,"Title":"Patient-Centred Medical Home (PCMH) show benefits for older adults with complex needs","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1645632000000)\/","Desp":"​A six-month study on the PCMH discovered that older adults who were cared for by a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals such as doctors, registered nurses, programme coordinators and care managers, appeared to be more engaged in managing their health and were more proactive in being healthier. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​A six-month study on the PCMH discovered that older adults who were cared for by a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals such as doctors, registered nurses, programme coordinators and care managers, appeared to be more engaged in managing their health and were more proactive in being healthier. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe PCMH programme aimed to care for older patients who live in the community, and who have chronic conditions, along with a complex combination of physical health illnesses, psychological needs as well as social care needs.   \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt also provided a comprehensive assessment, and care plans were designed based on the individual needs and preferences of the patients. The same healthcare team cared for these patients so their care was more coordinated, providing a better experience over time. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants in the study were surveyed at the start and end of the programme in a survey that consisted of four instruments. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 5-level EuroQoL 5-dimension (EQ-5D-5L) instrument assessed their quality of life. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) allowed participants to rate how they felt about their health.  The Control Autonomy Self-realisation Pleasure (CASP-19) instrument assessed how well they felt that their needs were met, and the 13-item Patient Activation Measure (PAM-13) instrument assessed their knowledge, skills and confidence in managing their illnesses and caring for themselves. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo find out more about the paper please click on the link below:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImpact of a patient-centered medical home demonstration on quality of life and patient\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eactivation for older adults with complex needs in Singapore\u003c/strong\u003e. BMC Geriatrics, 21(435). \u003cbr\u003eSum, G., Ho, S. H., Lim, Z. Z. B., Chay, J., Ginting, M. L., Tsao, M. A., \u0026 Wong, C. H. (2021). \u003ca href=\"https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-021-02371-y\"\u003ehttps://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-021-02371-y\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"Dr Grace Sum","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"16","Month":"February","Year":"2022"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=17","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/ACP-A-review-of-evidence-in-Singapore-1-Dec-2021.jpg","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/ACP%20A%20review%20of%20evidence%20in%20Singapore%201%20Dec%202021.png","Title":"GERI Knowledge to Practice Series: Advance Care Planning (ACP) – A review of the evidence in Singapore (1 Dec 2021)","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1645632000000)\/","Desp":"Researchers shared the latest evidence during a \"GERI Knowledge to Practice Series\" aimed at helping participants understand how this information could be translated into practice to enhance the Programme, such as training of facilitators or community outreach.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​Since its inception in 2011, the Advance Care Planning (ACP) programme in Singapore has seen thousands of conversations taking place, allowing individuals to make their wishes known and honoured.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearchers shared the latest evidence during a \"GERI Knowledge to Practice Series\" aimed at helping participants understand how this information could be translated into practice to enhance the Programme, such as training of facilitators or community outreach.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrganised by GERI in collaboration with AIC, the webinar was attended by 132 participants from acute and community hospitals, nursing homes, general practitioners to senior care centres and social and community service organisations. 90% of respondents felt it was useful and the sharing could be translated into practice.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy continuing to understand and put into practice evidence from research, the ACP programme will continue to make a difference in the lives of many Singaporeans who are preparing for, or reaching an end of life stage.\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"Dr Yu Chou Chuen","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"17","Month":"February","Year":"2022"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=18","ImageUrl":null,"ImageDescription":null,"Title":"Study using rapid review and Delphi methodology provides insights to geriatricians on COVID-19","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1645632000000)\/","Desp":"​In January 2021, the Chapter of Geriatricians, College of Physician Singapore convened a workgroup to formulate a set of position statements to guide clinical practice on COVID-19 vaccination for frail older persons. This was done in close collaboration with the Geriatric Education \u0026 Research Institute (GERI).  ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​In January 2021, the Chapter of Geriatricians, College of Physician Singapore convened a workgroup to formulate a set of position statements to guide clinical practice on COVID-19 vaccination for frail older persons. This was done in close collaboration with the Geriatric Education \u0026 Research Institute (GERI).  \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGERI adopted a two-step process which involved assembling published data from early clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccinations, followed by obtaining expert opinion from geriatricians in Singapore.  The study features research published on or before early April 2021. Information on primary vaccination and boosters from subsequent clinical trials and real world studies published after early April 2021 was not included.  \u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA key aspect of this study is how it documented the process of combining scientific evidence with expert consensus to provide interim guidance for practitioners where the available evidence is just emerging and incomplete. It offers a demonstration of research-practice engagement (or knowledge exchange between researchers and practitioners) which is a key component of GERI\u0027s efforts to improve healthcare practice for older persons in Singapore.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFull publication can be read \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2022.12\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"A/Prof Ding Yew Yoong","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"18","Month":"February","Year":"2022"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=15","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Roundtable%20COVID-19%20Vaccination%20for%20Older%20Frail%20Adults.png","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Roundtable%20COVID-19%20Vaccination%20for%20Older%20Frail%20Adults.png","Title":"Chasing A Moving Target: A roundtable discussion on Covid-19 vaccinations in frail older adults ","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1641139200000)\/","Desp":"As a follow-up from their Position Statement in July 2021, The Chapter together with GERI and the Society for Geriatric Medicine Singapore, organised a roundtable for knowledge exchange, as well as providing an update on the latest developments in vaccinations.  ","Content":"\u003cp\u003eThe Chapter of Geriatricians published a Position Statement in July 2021 entitled \"COVID-19 Vaccination for Frail Older Adults\".  As a follow-up, The Chapter together with GERI and the Society for Geriatric Medicine Singapore, organised a roundtable for knowledge exchange, as well as providing an update on the latest developments in vaccinations.  \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis roundtable was held on 27 Nov 2021 and panelists from GERI included Ms Penny Lun, Dr Pradeep Paul George and A/Prof Ding Yew Yoong.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eClick this link to read the Position Statement: \u003c/em\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.ams.edu.sg/latest-news/covid-19-vaccination-for-frail-older-adults\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ehttps://www.ams.edu.sg/latest-news/covid-19-vaccination-for-frail-older-adults\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"GERI Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"15","Month":"January","Year":"2022"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=14","ImageUrl":null,"ImageDescription":null,"Title":"Meaning of clinical empathy: Perspectives of Healthcare workers and patients","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1633536000000)\/","Desp":"A grounded study to define clinical empathy from the perspective of healthcare workers and patients from a multicultural setting ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA GERI funded research project investigating the meaning of clinical empathy in the local multi-cultural setting was recently published in BMJ Open (see link at the end of article). \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study team embarked on this study as the definition of empathy was found to be lacking in the local clinical context and clinicians and researchers in the team wanted to address this gap. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shared by Dr. Laurence Tan, Adjunct Faculty Member, GERI, who is the study\u0027s principal investigator, \"The term \u0027clinical empathy\u0027 was used to describe empathy in the clinical setting. We were particularly interested in the skills needed to balance the need for clinical empathy and professional boundaries. We also examined both the positive and detrimental effect of empathy on patients and the healthcare workers,\".\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study is the first of its kind to systematically review the collective views of doctors, nurses, medical and nursing students and patients on clinical empathy. It employed a grounded theory approach with 14 focus groups encompassing 69 participants who came from different cultural backgrounds.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study team managed to understand what clinical empathy means to doctors, nurses, students, allied health and students and findings challenged the common definition of clinical empathy as a cognitive process with emotional detachment. With support from data, they team defined clinical empathy as \u0027a sense of connection between the healthcare worker and the patient as a result of perspective taking arising from imaginative, affective and cognitive processes, which are expressed through behaviours and good communication skills that convey genuine concern\u0027.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr. Tan, who is also a Consultant, Geriatric Medicine, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, remarked on the findings, \"Empathy is essential because empathetic behavior helps improve patient outcomes. We are focused on developing a more holistic and multidimensional definition of clinical empathy. This will help future education and research efforts so that clinical empathy can be more effectively used.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo find out more about the paper please click on the link below:\u003cbr\u003ehttp://bmjopen.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmjopen-2020-045224\u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"Dr Yu Chou Chuen","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"14","Month":"October","Year":"2021"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=13","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/image_G4J.jpg","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/G4J.png","Title":"Geriatrics for Junior (G4J) – Asia – Connect ","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1632153600000)\/","Desp":"\u0027G4J Connect\u0027 Ethos aspires to promote the recruitment of junior doctors into Geriatrics by highlighting the positives associated with a career in the speciality, whilst challenging the stereotypes associated with it. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eG4J-Asia-Connect\u003c/strong\u003e was brought to Singapore for the first time on 9 July 2021.  The event was co-organised by the Geriatric Education and Research Institute (GERI) and Society for Geriatric Medicine Singapore (SGMS), in partnership with the European Academy for Medicine of Ageing (EAMA) and Association for Elderly Medicine Education (AEME), UK. \u003cstrong\u003e\u0027G4J Connect\u0027 Ethos\u003c/strong\u003e aspires to promote the recruitment of junior doctors into Geriatrics by highlighting the positives associated with a career in the speciality, whilst challenging the stereotypes associated with it. We were privileged to have \u003cstrong\u003eProf Adam Gordon, \u003c/strong\u003ePresident Elect of the British Geriatrics Society, to address the participants and deliver the welcome speech.\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDr Rachel Cheong\u003c/strong\u003e, GERI\u0027s Programme Director, designed the contents based on the learning needs of Singapore non-specialist doctors who might be interested in exploring Geriatric Medicine. This virtual webinar, designed for junior doctors, aimed to deliver relevant and useful clinical updates on the subspecialties of Geriatric Medicine. Some of the contents were shared \u003cstrong\u003e\"by juniors, for juniors\",\u003c/strong\u003e in order to achieve a non-intimidating and interactive environment for participants to learn. During the feedback session, \u003cstrong\u003e70% of respondents were considering a career in Geriatric Medicine in the future.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEAMA plans to position Singapore as the main hub in Asia to deliver the first G4J-Asia-Connect to bring together the worldwide Geriatric Communities. Led by \u003cstrong\u003eA/Prof. James Alvin Low\u003c/strong\u003e, GERI\u0027s Education Development Team, was invited by EAMA to support the organisation and delivery of G4J-Asia-Connect in Singapore. \u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"Knowledge Translation","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"13","Month":"September","Year":"2021"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=12","ImageUrl":"https://www.geri.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/image_frailtycourse.jpg","ImageDescription":"http://cms-geri.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/Style%20Library/GERI/images/Frailty%20Course%20-%20Dr%20Cheong.jpeg","Title":"New frailty course equips healthcare professionals with knowledge of frailty ","Category":"News","Releasedate":"\/Date(1631808000000)\/","Desp":"A new course, \"Integrating Frailty Concept in Your Care Delivery\" by GERI, aims to provide healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to integrate frailty in their care delivery for older patients. ","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​\u003c/p\u003eA new course, \"Integrating Frailty Concept in Your Care Delivery\" by GERI, aims to provide healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to integrate frailty in their care delivery for older patients. \u003cp\u003e\"For frail patients, the role of a multidisciplinary is even more important as it involves management of medical illness, the building of physical reserve, optimising nutrition and coordinate psychosocial support for both patients and their caregivers,\" said Course Director, Dr Rachel Cheong. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe course was the outcome of a study published by GERI in November 2020 to explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals in acute care settings on frailty and frailty screening in older patients – \"\u003ca href=\"https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347712511_Perspectives_on_Frailty_Screening_Management_and_Its_Implementation_Among_Acute_Care_Providers_in_Singapore_A_Qualitative_Study\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"\u003ePerspectives on Frailty Screening, management and its Implementation Among Acute Care Providers in Singapore: A Qualitative Study\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\".\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr Cheong said, \"It is important to understand the risk factors of different stages of frailty and how they are interrelated, and the steps that we can take to prevent, maintain or even reverse frailty. Due to Singapore\u0027s ageing population, all healthcare professionals will encounter pre-frail/frail patients during their clinical practice. By equipping participants with knowledge of frailty, they will be able to identify frail patients who require comprehensive assessment timely; they will manage pre-frail patients in the community without \"geriatric\" training.\" \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo help participants in their learning, a number of case studies were used during the course. \"We used a common scenario faced during clinical practice - an older patient with poorly managed chronic diseases in the primary care/community setting, being identified early by a primary care physician and referred for a comprehensive assessment. And subsequently, the patient continued to be managed by community nurse (medication compliance and coping), case manager (social services coordination), day care centre (physical optimisation), specialist (early diagnosis of cognitive impairment),\" said Dr Cheong. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants who took part in the first run of the course held on 14 April 2021 found the interactive case discussions and ability to discuss with professionals from different backgrounds useful.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the participants, Dr Shawn Goh, Family Physician, SingHealth Polyclinics, said, \"The Frailty workshop was very comprehensive and well-structured. It helped me gain a better understanding and deeper insights into managing the frail elderly. The trainers were also very knowledgeable and approachable which made the learning really engaging. I particularly enjoyed the case-based discussions with other healthcare providers from all walks of life, ranging from emergency medicine doctors to geriatric nurses as it allowed me to see things from different perspectives.\" \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA second run of the Integrating Frailty Concept in Your Care Delivery will be conducted on 26 July 2021. \u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"Corporate Communications","Mediasource":"GERI","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"12","Month":"September","Year":"2021"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=11","ImageUrl":null,"ImageDescription":null,"Title":"NTU teams up with GERI, Singapore’s national body for geriatric research and education, to enhance well-being of elderly","Category":"Media Release","Releasedate":"\/Date(1510329600000)\/","Desp":"GERI collaborates with NTU to work on research to improve care provision for Singapore\u0027re growing ageing population.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCommunity and home-based care, health systems and applications and the psycho-social well-being of older adults will be among key areas of joint research by \u003cstrong\u003eNanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore)\u003c/strong\u003e and the \u003cstrong\u003eGeriatric Education and Research Institute (GERI)\u003c/strong\u003e to help Singapore better manage the demands of being a rapidly ageing society.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eIt is part of NTU’s continuing efforts to find innovative ways for the elderly in Singapore to lead fulfilling lives in their silver years. About 20 per cent of the country’s population will be 65 years of age and above in the next 10 years.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eLed by the \u003cstrong\u003eAgeing Research Institute for Society for Education (ARISE)\u003c/strong\u003e at NTU, other areas of joint research will be in health policies, and in frailty syndrome, a condition common amongst the elderly where this is a loss of health and the ability to carry out basic daily functions.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eNTU and GERI will also work towards the development and exchange of postgraduates and researchers through attachments and internships, and conduct joint workshops, seminars and conferences.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eThe partnership was inked at the inaugural \u003cstrong\u003eARISE Research Symposium\u003c/strong\u003e at the Novena campus of NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine today.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMr Amrin Amin\u003c/strong\u003e, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Home Affairs, witnessed the signing ceremony, together with \u003cstrong\u003eProf Bertil Andersson\u003c/strong\u003e, President of NTU, and \u003cstrong\u003eProf Philip Choo\u003c/strong\u003e, Group CEO of the National Healthcare Group, Chairman, ARISE Advisory Board, and a member of GERI’s management committee.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProf Bertil Andersson\u003c/strong\u003e said, “NTU’s partnership with GERI, the national body for ageing studies, aims to develop innovative solutions for Singapore as it faces the multifaceted challenge of a rapidly ageing society.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e“NTU’s expertise in research, technology and education in ageing is being led by ARISE, which focuses on developing policies that are responsive and relevant to the needs of the elderly. Singapore’s people are its most valuable resource and the elderly, with their wealth of experience and knowledge, can still contribute to the country’s future and lead fulfilling lives.”\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eARISE leverages NTU’s expertise in inter and multi-disciplinary research, such as in engineering, business, medicine, behavioural and social sciences, to help contribute to Singapore’s vision of providing sustainable high-quality eldercare to allow them to lead fulfilling lives in their silver years.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eDescribing GERI’s partnership with NTU as a significant milestone in ageing-related research in Singapore, \u003cstrong\u003eProf Pang Weng Sun\u003c/strong\u003e, Executive Director of GERI, said, “Singapore’s healthcare system is undergoing transformation to improve the well-being and health of our elderly population. Through collaboration with established academic institutions like NTU, we will be able to harness each other’s multi-disciplinary expertise. We look forward to working closely with ARISE to better understand the needs of the elderly and improve care provision for our ageing population”.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eThe Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Prof Theng Yin Leng, Acting Executive Director of ARISE at NTU, and Prof Pang Weng Sun, who is also Vice-Dean (Clinical Affairs) at NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eARISE Research Symposium as platform for discussion on ageing\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eThe international symposium sees experts taking part in panel discussions on health and social issues related to ageing. It focuses on three areas – ageing in diabetes among the aged, the importance of nutrition in older adults and the science behind it, and community care. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eARISE’s strategic initiatives are focusing research on diabetes, nutrition, lifestyle and related factors among older adults in Singapore, which is an under-researched topic. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eSeveral of NTU’s ongoing projects into ageing are also on display at the symposium. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eThey include \u003cstrong\u003e“Pumpkin Garden”\u003c/strong\u003e, a scalable platform to unobtrusively collect personal wellness data from users in a game-like environment to help with the early detection of Parkinson’s disease.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eAlso highlighted is the \u003cstrong\u003e“H-Man”\u003c/strong\u003e, a machine that provides a semi-independent assessment and training set-up for the elderly to help them do regular physiotherapy exercises from the comfort of their homes.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePostgraduate scholarship in Applied Gerontology\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eThe symposium also sees the \u003cstrong\u003eNgee Ann Kongsi Postgraduate Scholarship in Social Sciences\u003c/strong\u003e being awarded to four students from the inaugural cohort of NTU’s Master of Science in Applied Gerontology programme. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eThey are Ms Cally Chantale Ng Jiaying, 25, a social work associate at FaithActs; Mr Kek Zhen Liang, 29, a programme executive at the Alzheimer’s Disease Association; Ms Mo Minyi, 35, a nurse manager at Tan Tock Seng Hospital; and Ms Laura Lai Suay Theng, 45, a certified public accountant and the only recipient who is a part-time student.​\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003ePresenting the awards is Mr Goh Kim Hock, Chairman of the Education/Scholarships \u0026 Bursaries Sub-Committee at Ngee Ann Kongsi.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eNgee Ann Kongsi offers up to 12 postgraduate scholarships in the social sciences annually to Singapore citizens and permanent residents pursuing a postgraduate programme in the social sciences at Ministry of Education-approved institutions. The scholarship covers the tuition fee for the duration of the programme, and is offered to full and part-time students.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:justify;\"\u003eLaunched early this year to meet the rising demand for skilled professionals, NTU’s Master of Science in Applied Gerontology programme aims to equip its students with the knowledge and skills to prepare them for a career in clinical, hospital and care management, teaching, and research roles.\u003c/div\u003e","Mediaauthor":"Mr Tan Yo-Hinn ","Mediasource":"http://media.ntu.edu.sg/NewsReleases/Pages/newsdetail.aspx?news=2f22a4a0-5d3b-4cfd-9123-3d1b5c440712 ","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"11","Month":"November","Year":"2017"},{"Url":"/About-Us/Pages/News-Detail.aspx?MID=10","ImageUrl":null,"ImageDescription":null,"Title":"Mr Gan Kim Yong\u0027s Speech: Asia Pacific Geriatrics Conference","Category":"Press Release","Releasedate":"\/Date(1470931200000)\/","Desp":"Mr Gan Kim Yong gave a speech at the Asia Pacific Geriatrics Conference, highlighting the importance of Singapore being frailty ready.","Content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e            Good morning. I am happy to join you at the Asia Pacific Geriatrics Conference 2016. This year\u0027s event has a special significance, as it coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Society for Geriatric Medicine Singapore (SGMS). SGMS has been leading the professional development of geriatricians in Singapore. It has also been reaching out to Asia Pacific countries to develop innovative care strategies together to improve the clinical care of our seniors.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.         The theme of this year\u0027s conference, \"Geriatrics Beyond Borders: Are We Frailty Ready?\" is particularly relevant for Singapore and also many Asia Pacific countries, as our populations are ageing rapidly. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above. Singapore needs to be frailty ready through three approaches: first, delaying frailty through active ageing; second, early intervention through screening and risk assessments; and third, appropriate care in the community. To do these, we need to reshape our care delivery system, equip healthcare providers with geriatric care capabilities, and invest in research to build a sustainable healthcare ecosystem for our seniors.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelaying Frailty through Active Ageing\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.         Ageing well is about our seniors staying healthy, active and engaged.  To empower our seniors to better take care of their health, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has rolled out the new National Seniors\u0027 Health Programme to systematically promote health education and preventive health services for seniors. Seniors can look forward to a set of seven easy exercises to encourage them to exercise regularly in the comfort of their own homes. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) has also introduced a Seniors\u0027 Nutrition Guide entitled \"Recipe for Healthy Ageing\", to encourage seniors to adopt healthy eating habits. We will also be delivering \"Healthy Ageing 101\" talks to seniors in the community.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.         To keep seniors mentally and socially engaged, we have created more opportunities for them to continue learning and volunteering. This year, we are rolling out more than 10,000 learning places under the National Silver Academy. Since its launch in May this year, more than 2,700 seniors have signed up for courses that range from health and wellness, to finance, IT and science. In addition, we have started the National Senior Volunteerism Movement so that seniors can contribute their time and experience to a wide range of community initiatives. Moving forward, we will be making active ageing activities more accessible for seniors, as we build new Active Ageing Hubs in Housing Development Board (HDB) estates. These are one-stop hubs which provide active ageing as well as senior care and assisted living services for our seniors. The first Active Ageing Hub will be operational in early 2017.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarly Intervention\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.         Early intervention is important to identify risks for functional decline in our seniors. For instance, MOH supported the National University Hospital to pilot mobile health services like the Mobile Hearing Clinic. There are currently two of these Clinics, which are retrofitted, sound-proof vehicles providing hearing screening services. With a team of audiologists and their research assistants, these Clinics move around the community to provide hearing screening and hearing aid fitting for seniors, in partnership with the People\u0027s Association. Between December last year and June this year, they have covered 13 community centres, screened over 1,300 residents for hearing loss and fitted 112 residents with hearing aids. This screening service will be expanded in phases over the next two years to over 20 community centres.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.         The Preventive Falls Risk Assessment is another pilot initiative supported by MOH, in collaboration with the Alexandra Health System. Through this programme, we aim to help seniors in the North prevent falls by addressing risk factors for falls early. Seniors are empowered to perform a self-screening quiz, and assessed by community nurses and trained staff to identify risk factors for possible early interventions. Assessment results can be shared with their family physicians and they can be referred to other health services, such as eye tests, if required.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAppropriate Care in the Community\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.         Our care delivery system must move from the acute hospitals to the community, anchored by strong primary care, twinned with good social support system. This will allow us to have early identification, assessment and management of frailty. For instance, MOH is working with the National Healthcare Group (NHG) and Tsao Foundation to pilot a Geriatric Services Hub at the Whampoa Community Club. Known as ComSA Centre, this pilot Hub will integrate primary care, case management and aged care services, to bring holistic aged care closer to seniors in the community.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.         Another example is the Community Psychogeriatric Programme (CPGP) by Changi General Hospital (CGH) to provide training, consultation and support for family physicians and community eldercare agencies on simple psychogeriatric assessment to recognise and manage mental health issues in seniors.  For mentally-ill seniors who are unable or unwilling to visit a doctor, healthcare professionals in the CPGP team, such as geriatric psychiatrists, geriatric and psychiatric nurses, clinical psychologists, medical social workers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, will visit them at home.          \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.         To foster greater integration of the health and social needs of our seniors, the Eastern Health Alliance (EHA) developed an innovative community care model called the Neighbours for Active Living Programme.  In this Programme, volunteers befriend and support seniors in addressing their health and social needs. During regular home visits to the seniors, volunteers will help to keep a lookout for the seniors\u0027 health, remind them about their follow-up medical appointments and inform the health and social agencies if more help is needed. By building a caring community for seniors and integrating this with our Regional Health System, we can better support seniors as they age in place.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Geriatric Care Ready Workforce\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.       The challenge of caring for seniors with frailty and multiple co-morbidities calls for a well-trained geriatric care workforce. There are currently 83 registered geriatricians, and we hope to grow the number to 120 in the next three to four years. We also need to involve family physicians, other medical specialists, nurses and allied health professionals, and many more health and non-health professionals to bring about appropriate senior-centred care.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.       To equip all our clinicians with geriatric care capabilities, all specialists-in-training will be required to undergo a geriatric medicine module. Furthermore, the National University of Singapore, in collaboration with SGMS, has developed the Graduate Diploma in Geriatric Medicine to train family physicians in Geriatric assessment and approach. Since its inception, more than 200 family physicians have been trained in geriatric care management, and many are now serving our nursing homes and community hospitals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.       Our healthcare institutions are also equipping other healthcare professionals with geriatric care capabilities. For instance, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) was accredited in 2014 as one of the international training centres for the Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystems Elders (NICHE) programme. To date, TTSH has trained about 90 Geriatric Resource Nurses (GRNs) under this programme to identify and address specific geriatric syndromes such as falls and delirium, and to implement care strategies to promote patient mobility and expedite recovery. These GRNs ensure that geriatric issues are well-managed not just for patients under the direct care of Geriatric Departments, but also for elderly patients admitted to other wards.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.       Beyond training healthcare professionals, the capability and well-being of caregivers are also integral to the provision of care for seniors in the community.  One example of caregiver support is the Eldersit Respite Care programme developed by the occupational therapists at the Changi General Hospital (CGH), in partnership with the Alzheimer\u0027s Disease Association (ADA).  This Programme also offers respite care services for seniors, and has expanded to three providers, with more than 120 eldersitters trained in caregiver support services.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInvesting in Geriatric Services Research\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.       We must continue to innovate and develop new models of care and improve geriatric services through research in clinical and non-clinical areas of ageing. The national Geriatric Education and Research Institute, or GERI for short, is one such example.  I am glad to announce that GERI has started work since March this year at its new premise in Yishun Community Hospital. GERI will collaborate with universities, hospitals, professionals groups, and research agencies to study and create new strategies in education, research and service planning to help Singapore prepare for the challenges of an ageing population.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.       Although we have started our journey to prepare for the ageing population, we have a short runway. This conference is timely and allows us to learn from one another. I am confident that interaction and sharing of ideas at this conference will spur innovation, collaboration, and thought leadership in geriatric care. For our friends from overseas, I hope that you will have a great time in Singapore, as you enjoy the sights and the great food here.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.       Thank you.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e","Mediaauthor":"MOH","Mediasource":"Ministry Of Health","AttchmentUrl":null,"ID":"10","Month":"August","Year":"2016"}]