The Melbourne Ageing Research Collaboration (MARC) brought together 100 of Melbourne’s top ageing researchers, service deliverers and policymakers for its first colloquium to discuss four critical areas of age on Thursday 21 May.

The day-long colloquium focussed on End of Life and Palliative Care, Dementia, Falls and Healthy Ageing. Dr Frances Batchelor, MARC’s project manager, said the aim of the colloquium was to hear the latest research in each of the priority areas and to identify gaps and crossover research.

“The colloquium is about sharing information. No one person has all the answers and what MARC sets out to do is to introduce new thinking and research about ageing to researchers and others with an interest in solutions.”

The speakers included:

• Dr Charmaine Foo, Palliative Care Unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital – Advances in symptom management in Palliative Care
• Professor David Ames, CEO, NARI, - Alzheimer’s disease – what’s true and what’s new
• Dr Cathy Said, Austin Health – Preparing people at high risk of falls to for discharge following rehabilitation: do we meet the guidelines?
• Dr Kathryn Ellis, University of Melbourne – Lifestyle factors and cognition.