The aim of the project is to explore key suggested acute care-specific modifications to the Safe Recovery program from both clinical and patient perspectives and to explore perceived barriers and enablers to successful implementation of the Safe Recovery program in the acute setting. This will be explored through focus groups and interviews among acute care patients and family members, nurses, allied health professionals and medical officers. We hope the findings of this project lead to understanding of how to adapt the successful Safe Recovery falls reduction program to the acute hospital environment. This project is currently recruiting.

TOP UP aims to provide an effective and scalable way to deliver tailored physiotherapist-prescribed exercise programs that improve mobility, reduce falls and enhance quality of life for aged care services users. The TOP UP program was co-designed in partnership with aged care providers, physiotherapists and aged care service users and their caregivers. A pilot trial found it to be acceptable, feasible and effective at increasing mobility and quality of life with reduced falls, including in people with moderate dementia, and those living at home as in residential aged care. In 2024 the team further developed the TOP UP website using ‘double diamond’ co-design methodology, including a fitbit integration to test the motivational aspects of step tracking.

The aim of this trial is to i) adapt and ii) test the impact of an effective group-based exercise mobility program across two hospitals in Sydney: St George Private Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital. Stage 1 of this project will involve collaborative adaptation of the program with clinicians, consumers and managers. Stage 2 will involve a stepped wedge trial. Stage 1 has been submitted for ethics approval.

The CRE - Prevention of Fall-related Injuries brings together a diverse team of researchers that will collaboratively develop and evaluate strategies in fall prevention that will have the best chance of reducing Australia’s rising rate of fall-related injuries.

We hope the findings of this project lead to the development of a yoga-based exercise program to prevent falls in people aged 65 and over. The aim of this project is to assess the effectiveness of a 40 week yoga program, compared with an advice booklet, on falls. We will also assess the effectiveness of the program on other key indicators of healthy ageing, such as mental health, establish the cost-effectiveness of the intervention, and measure the yoga program’s potential for implementation. Participants allocated to the yoga-based exercise group will attend 40 weeks of twice-weekly, one-hour yoga classes in established yoga studios in Sydney with experienced yoga teachers. Participants will be asked to complete a home-based yoga program for at least two extra 20-minute sessions each week. This project is currently recruiting. For more information about this project, please contact us at sph.sagetrial@sydney.edu.au Principal Investigator: Professor Anne Tiedemann (IMH) Chief Investigators: Professor Cathie Sherrington (IMH), Professor Stephen Lord (NeuRA) Associate Investigators: Professor Kirsten Howard (University of Sydney), Professor Adrian Bauman (University of Sydney), Professor Chris Rissel (University of Sydney), Professor Robert Cumming (University of Sydney), Professor Kaarin Anstey (NeuRA), Professor Roberta Shepherd (University of Sydney), Associate Professor Patrick Kelly (University of Sydney), Dr Anne Grunseit (University of Sydney), Romina Sesto This project has received ethics approval. The sponsor of this trial is The University of Sydney. Funding is from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

We hope the findings of this project lead to enhanced promotion of physical activity by health professionals for people aged 50+ and people of all ages with a physical disability. The aim of the project is to determine whether a health professional education and support package (workshop, website, on-line discussion, phone/email support) increases promotion of physical activity and frequency of recommendations about attendance at community-based structured physical activity opportunities among people aged 50+ and/or people of any age with physical disabilities compared with waiting list control. This project is currently recruiting. Chief Investigator: Professor Cathie Sherrington (IMH) Associate Investigators: Professor Anne Tiedemann (IMH), Dr Leanne Hassett (IMH), Dr Bethan Richards (IMH), Professor Louise Baur (The Children’s Hospital at Westmead & The University of Sydney), Professor Adrian Bauman (The University of Sydney), Professor Lisa Harvey (The University of Sydney), Associate Professor Philayrath Phongsavan (University of Sydney), Professor Jennifer Alison (University of Sydney), Associate Professor Ben Smith (University of Sydney), Kate Purcell (IMH), Jenni Cole (Disability Sports Australia), Professor Chris Rissel (University of Sydney & the NSW Office of Preventive Health), Associate Professor Jeff Walkley (Belgravia Leisure), Dr Genevieve Dwyer (Western Sydney University), Kerry West (IMH). This project has received ethics approval from Local Health District Ethics Committees and is being funded by Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Rapid Applied Research Translation Grant. For more information about this project, please contact: Kate Purcell e: kate.purcell@sydney.edu.au