http://hdl.handle.net/2328/26327 2013-05-03T08:29:21Z http://hdl.handle.net/2328/26352 Title: Development and testing of a questionnaire to measure older people's experience of the Transition Care Program in Australia. Authors: Masters, Stacey Cynthia; Giles, Lynne Catherine; Halbert, Julie Anne; Crotty, Maria Abstract: Transition Care (TC) is a new program for older adults in Australia. At present, program quality is assessed using provider reports of compliance with key requirements established by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. As part of the National Evaluation of the Transition Care Program, the authors developed a questionnaire to measure recipient experience of TC. Validity and reliability were assessed via interviews with 582 recipients or proxies 3 months after discharge from TC. Concordance between test–retest observations was high. Principal component analysis suggested three sub-scales were important: restoration, continuity of care and patient involvement. Recipients of TC in a residential care setting had lower mean scores on the restoration sub-scale compared to those who received services in the community. This study found that a standardised measure of recipient experience could inform quality improvement in TC and is feasible to administer via questionnaire. 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2328/26351 Title: Coaching Older Adults and Carers to have their preferences Heard (COACH): a randomised controlled trial in an intermediate care setting (study protocol) Authors: Masters, Stacey Cynthia; Gordon, Jason; Whitehead, Craig Hamilton; Davies, Owen; Giles, Lynne Catherine; Ratcliffe, Julie Abstract: Frail older people who are considering movement into residential aged care or returning home following a hospital admission often face complex and difficult decisions. Despite research interest in this area, a recent Cochrane review was unable to identify any studies of interventions to support decision-­‐making in this group that met the experimental or quasi-­‐experimental study design criteria. This study tests the impact of a multi-­component coaching intervention on the quality of preparation for care transitions, targeted to older adults and informal carers. In addition, the study assesses the impact of investing specialist geriatric resources into consultations with families in an intermediate care setting where decisions about future care needs are being made. 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2328/26328 Title: Quantitation of DNA methylation by melt curve analysis Authors: Smith, Eric; Jones, Michael Emlyn; Drew, Paul Anthony Abstract: We have validated a rapid, simple in-tube method to quantify methylation which is robust and reproducible, utilizes easily designed primers and does not need proprietary algorithms or software. The technique does not depend on any operator manipulation or interpretation of the melt curves, and is suitable for use in any laboratory with a real-time thermocycler. The parameters derived provide an objective description and quantitation of the methylation in a specimen, and can be used for statistical comparisons of methylation between specimens. 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z