The Frailty Reduction via Implementation of Exercise, Nutritional support and Deprescribing (FRIEND) Project

The Frailty Reduction via Implementation of Exercise, Nutritional support and Deprescribing (FRIEND) Project

Advisor/s

A/Prof Fiona Barnett, Dr. Michael Inskip

College or Research Centre

College of Healthcare Sciences

Summary of Project

The Frailty Reduction via Implementation of Exercise, Nutritional support and Deprescribing (FRIEND) Project will implement our evidence-based, sustainable, multi-disciplinary program to improve frailty in cognitively-impaired residents of aged care. The aim of FRIEND is to establish integrated processes and pathways within a residential facility that enable early identification and effective reduction of frailty. Collaborative staff and student training will support the incorporation of strategies to mitigate three remediable contributing factors: sarcopenia, malnutrition, and polypharmacy. We will implement robust weight-lifting exercise, nutritional assessment to address factors limiting food intake and improve nutrient intake/density, and deprescribing of potentially harmful/unnecessary medications.

This project provides an opportunity to work in translational research in the aged care sector with those living with cognitive impairment, as part of a collaboration of top medical and allied health researchers from James Cook University and the University of Sydney.

Key Words

Frailty; exercise; deprescribing; malnutrition; progressive resistance training; dementia; cognitive impairment; aged care

Would suit an applicant who

Has an interest in improving quality of life and frailty outcomes for aged care residents with cognitive impairment. Allied health, psychology, nursing, medical or pharmacy background preferably with experience in qualitative interviews and/or exercise delivery.

Updated: 18 Aug 2021