Seminars in Ageing: Research updates and insights from Early to Mid-Career researchers at NARI

Ellen is a Research Assistant at the NARI and a PhD candidate at La Trobe University. At NARI, Ellen has worked on a number of projects across a range of research areas including dementia, mental health, carer support and elder abuse. Her PhD research is exploring the involvement of people living with dementia in co-design. She has experience working with people living with dementia and family carers across both community and residential care settings. She is particularly interested in participatory research methods and improving active consumer and community involvement in research.

Lysha is a PhD candidate in Applied Health Services in Aging and Aged Care, supported by a joint scholarship from Deakin University and NARI in Melbourne. She holds an Honours degree in Psychology and brings a multidisciplinary lens to her work, with research interests spanning aged care, mental health across the lifespan, social health, and community building. Lysha’s doctoral research adopts a realist approach to evaluate how intergenerational programs can enhance the psychosocial health of older adults and the experiences of staff in residential aged care settings. Lysha actively contributes to collaborative research initiatives, including the research and evaluation of the Positive Ageing Digital Storytelling Intergenerational Program at Swinburne University. She also serves on the advisory council of the Australian Institute of Intergenerational Practice and convenes its student and early career group.

Kayla is a Research Officer at NARI and PhD candidate with the University of Melbourne. Kayla’s research explores the implementation of palliative care interventions in residential aged care. She has worked on several projects at NARI as part of the Melbourne Ageing Research Collaboration and Moving Pictures. Research projects Kayla has supported have covered topics such as end-of-life-care, mental health, dementia, and ageism.