Enhancing care and support for older Australians living in the community with cognitive impairment

Purpose of research project *

MUCHE researchers, in collaboration with leading neuroscientists from the UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) including Professor Henry Brodaty AO and Professor Perminder Sachdev AM, undertook highly impactful quantitative research over 2022-24. The research aimed to identify patterns in health care utilisation and potential service gaps for older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia living in the Australian community.

Who has, is or will benefit *

This highly policy-relevant research is expected to benefit community-dwelling older Australians and their families by providing key insights for policy makers to better plan more accessible and equitable healthcare services for older Australians, to better manage mild cognitive impairment and improve their wellbeing.

Description of impact *

Drawing on the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (MAS), this research collaborative studied 1000 older Australians living in the community, utilising linked Medicare data to track their medical and pharmaceutical use over 10 years. Quantitative modelling revealed key insights, including that people with MCI (unaware of their diagnosis) were less likely than those with normal cognition to visit a doctor, get blood tests or have diagnostic imaging. This was pronounced for Australians with MCI who were living alone, experiencing non-memory symptoms or lacking support from caregivers for transport or medical decisions. The research was published in SSM - Population Health (SCImago ranking: Top 5%, ABDC=A equivalent on the MQBS Supplementary list). The research featured in a piece in The Lighthouse in September 2024, and lead author, Dr Bilgrami was interviewed about the study findings by 2SER FM. Dr Bilgrami, Professor Brodaty and Professor Sachdev co-authored a piece for Croakey Health Media on enhancing care and support for older Australians with MCI. This offers a number of recommendations for better supporting older Australians with MCI, in light of the study findings and in the face of potential population and provider-level health care access barriers. This successful collaboration contributed to Professor Cutler being a chief investigator on a successful NHMRC grant with CHeBA to undertake the second-generation Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (MAS2 – ongoing). This research aligns with the UN SDGs of promoting ‘good health and wellbeing’ and ‘reducing inequalities’ by promoting wellbeing and health care access for the ageing population.

Impact date	2022 → 2024
Category of impact	Health impacts, Economy impacts, Policy impacts
Impact level	Emerging (pre)