NUTRITION
Nutrition, or diet, has received significant attention in relation to healthy ageing. Eating a diet high in fruit and vegetables and low in processed foods is generally good for us. Studies might include surveys of your eating habits, as well as an assessment of your health or cognition. You could also be invited to follow a particular diet or take a daily supplement, to see whether, over time, this has an impact on a specific health outcome. MyCOACH is one intervention that engaged participants recruited through StepUp for Research, to improve their diet amongst other lifestyle changes. Click here for more information.
LIFESTYLE
How we live, exercise, interact with others, the job we choose, the hobbies we pursue, all have an impact on our health and cognition. Studies might ask about your current lifestyle, or ask you to implement a behaviour change, to find out more about which behaviours are supportive of good health. An example could be prescribing an exercise program or brain training app. MyCOACH is one instance of a lifestyle intervention study that recruited participants through StepUp: Click here for more information.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
Technology use is a new and growing topic when it comes to healthy ageing. Many different technologies are available or being developed to support daily activities, meaningful pursuits, and social connections. This might include assistive technology designed to help with a particular health condition, as well as general technology such as smartphone apps or robots. Studies might assess your interest or need for a particular technology or ask for feedback on a newly devised technology. One study on StepUp for Research investigated tablet-based prompts to support people living with dementia to complete activities of daily living at home. Click here for more information about the study.
PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY
A national government survey in 2022 indicated that nearly 8% of men and over 11% of women, aged 65 years and older, had experienced a mental health condition within the previous 12 months. Research also shows that older adults with a mental health condition are more likely to experience disability and reduced quality of life. Studies might invite people experiencing low mood or anxiety to take part in a psychological therapy program. One study on StepUp for Research looked at how videoconferencing counselling might support family carers of people living with dementia navigate the transition to residential care. Click here for more information.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Physical therapy, or physiotherapy, can fend off age-related changes, injuries and pain. It can help older adults maintain independence by improving muscle strength, balance, coordination, mobility, and cardiovascular health. Studies might look for older adults with a specific health condition to see if they might benefit from a physical therapy intervention. Other studies might look to recruit a more general, maybe middle-aged population to see if physical therapy can prevent or slow down functional decline. For example, one study on StepUp for Research explored the effects of a gait aid training program for people with dementia who were unsteady on their feet. Click here for more information about the study.
DRUG TRIAL
A medication must pass several milestones before its effectiveness can be trialled with people. Typically, participants in drug trials are randomly allocated to one of two groups – to take either the drug, or a ‘placebo’ which does not contain any active ingredients. Neither the participant nor the researchers know to which group the person has been allocated. These types of trials are called “double-blind, randomised controlled”, and are considered to be the “gold standard”. Drug trials can vary in duration, from a few weeks to years. Some trials explore the benefits of a new drug, whereas others might explore whether a known drug has other therapeutic benefits. StepUp for Research aims to address the underrepresentation of older adults in clinical trials. One study on StepUp for Research explored whether melatonin supplements might not just improve the sleep of older adults with mild cognitive impairment, but also their cognition and mood. Click here to read more about the study.
SURVEY/INTERVIEW
Researchers often conduct surveys or interviews to get information from people about a topic. Surveys typically invite the participant to read a statement or a question, and then select what applies to them, from a list of possible options. In an interview, the researcher will ask semi-structured questions in the form of a conversation or discussion; and then record and likely transcribe the answer for a more detailed analysis. One study on Step Up for Research used a survey to better understand how people would like to receive dementia information. You can read more about the study here.
CITIZEN SCIENCE
Citizen science is when scientific work is undertaken by the public, in collaboration with a scientific institution. Citizen scientists can help with the collection and/or analysis of data. A well-known example is the yearly “Aussie Bird Count”, whereby people of all ages can choose to count and record the birds that live near them. Other examples include sampling water quality or assessing air quality. In health, studies sometimes involve working with the public and/or health care consumers to co-design an intervention and evaluation processes; such study types can also be a form of citizen science.
BRAIN IMAGING AND BIOMARKERS
Neuroimaging or brain scanning are techniques that allow neuroscientists to see inside the living brain. The most common brain imaging techniques are computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and functional MRI (fMRI). All these techniques work in different ways, and tell us different things about the structure and function of the brain.
Imaging scans give us information about some types of biomarkers. “Biomarkers” are used to diagnose, treat, and monitor medical conditions. Most healthcare tests involve biomarkers, from pulse and blood pressure to blood tests and biopsies. As a tool for measuring healthy ageing, biomarkers can detect the decline of different body functions and thus act as an early warning sign for certain diseases. They can also be used to test the response to interventions on (healthy) ageing. A current study on StepUp for Research is looking at novel imaging biomarkers for cognitive disorders in the cerebrovascular system, which is the networks of vessels that transport blood to and from the brain.
GENETIC TESTING
Healthy ageing is influenced by a combination of genetic, intrinsic and environmental factors. About 25% of the variation in human longevity is due to genetic factors. Genetic testing involves examining a person’s blood, saliva, skin, hair or other tissue, to determine whether there is any change, or mutation, in their DNA. Genetic testing may be useful in determining whether an individual has, or carries, a genetic condition, or may develop one in the future. Epigenetics looks at the process by which environmental influences might alter how our genes are expressed.
COGNITIVE TEST
Cognitive tests assess abilities involved in thinking, such as memory, attention, language, how quickly we process things and perceive things, problem solving and decision-making. These are important abilities to track when detecting any cognitive issues and can teach us about how memory problems develop. They can also be used to see how cognition might be related to lifestyle factors (such as diet or exercise); or, as an outcome measure in relation to an intervention. The MyCOACH lifestyle intervention study that was on StepUp for Research used cognitive tests to screen people’s eligibility, and also to assess the impact of the intervention on cognitive function. To read more about the study, click here.
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
Social engagement is an important determinant of physical and emotional health, well into very late adulthood. Studies might ask you about your social relationships and/or community participation, and see how this relates to, or maybe predicts, health conditions. Some studies might ask you to trial an intervention to improve your social connections. One study on StepUp for Research explored the social functioning of people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic: Click here for more information.
PROCEDURE/TREATMENT
Procedure or treatment research might look at the different ways that clinical and non-clinical procedures or non-pharmacological techniques can improve health. The treatment may or may not focus on curing a certain condition, but might offer different benefits to people, such as improvements in mood. Cognitive stimulation therapy is an example of a psychosocial intervention that uses creative group activities, such as painting, drawing and playing musical instruments, to slow cognitive decline in people living with mild to moderate dementia. One current study on StepUp for Research is looking at how Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, a procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, might improve memory and thinking in people with Alzheimer’s disease.