Ep14 Rachel Quigley

Rachel Quigley Researcher (JCU) Looking at Aging Well for Indigenous Peoples Aging -Holistic concept where connections to culture, land, and the wider community are integral.

Despite centuries of ill health and social inequity, the number of Indigenous peoples is growing and more than ever before, many of those over 65 years are surviving into older age. However, for older Indigenous peoples, there is still an increased prevalence of chronic conditions which may be associated with lifestyle factors and are amenable to interventions that have the potential to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples as they age. Rachel Quigley from the Healthy Ageing Research Team at James Cook University joins us now to explain how improvements in longevity and aging for Indigenous peoples will require a life-course approach and community-led initiatives. Rachel says that Aging well for Indigenous peoples is a holistic concept where connections to culture, land, and the wider community are integral. The Healthy Ageing Research Team at James Cook University in Cairns recently published a paper titled Aging Well for Indigenous Peoples: A Scoping Review. Physiotherapist Rachel Quigley was one of the contributors. The team’s research priorities focus on healthy aging and dementia risk reduction primarily within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations of Far North Queensland, Australia. Rachel has been working in the field of gerontology for over 25 years both in Australia and the UK. She is currently doing a Ph.D. that focuses on developing a framework for healthy aging in the Torres Strait. 

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION 

What drew you to study Indigenous Aging in the field of gerontology? What were you wanting to achieve with the study? What were the aims? The 'Synthesis of Findings’ 4. What surprised you about the findings Differences between non-indigenous and indigenous communities? Why are Yarning Circles for the elderly in Indigenous cultures? What does ‘aging well” mean for different Indigenous peoples and why is it important? What are the enablers and barriers to aging well for Indigenous peoples? How did the impacts of colonization of indigenous cultures challenge their ability to age well? Where does the report go from here? ….. What are the proposed recommendations….