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.

In this episode, Rachel Quigley from the Healthy Ageing Research Team at James Cook University talks about the importance of taking a holistic approach to Indigenous health research studies. Rachel emphasizes that aging well for Indigenous peoples requires a life-course approach and community-led initiatives, where connections to culture, land and the wider community are integral.

Rachel discusses her team’s recent scoping review titled Aging Well for Indigenous Peoples, which focuses on healthy ageing and dementia risk reduction primarily within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations of Far North Queensland, Australia.

During the discussion, Rachel answers questions about her motivations for studying Indigenous aging in the field of gerontology, the study’s aims, and the synthesis of findings. She also explores the differences between non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities, and explains the importance of Yarning Circles for the elderly in Indigenous cultures.

Rachel highlights the enablers and barriers to aging well for Indigenous peoples, and how the impacts of colonization of Indigenous cultures have challenged their ability to age well. Lastly, Rachel talks about the proposed recommendations from the report, which include community-led initiatives and the development of frameworks for healthy aging in Indigenous communities.

Overall, this episode offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for healthy aging in Indigenous communities, and the importance of taking a holistic approach to research and interventions.