Ageing with Long-Term Health Conditions

Within UCC Futures: Ageing and Brain Science, researchers contribute to the science and management of long-term conditions, including their link with brain health, at all levels of human functioning, from processes within cells, to people’s participation in society. Ageing with long-term health conditions often entails the interaction of multiple conditions, as well as interactions of management of those conditions (including medications). Long-term health conditions also represent a significant burden on health systems, both in terms of cost and capacity.

UCC Ageing and Brain Science research in this area relates to a plethora of conditions, such as respiratory diseases (such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease); vision, hearing and balance in older age; oral health in older people, and the management of chronic pain owing to multiple conditions. Stroke is also a prominent topic and a major, and complex, factor in health and ageing, both in terms of increased prevalence in older age, and by way long-term disabilities as a consequence of stroke, including impact on speech and language, hearing, swallowing and mobility, among others. Because many older people experience multiple long-term health conditions, tailored, person-centred care is essential, as is active self-management, to the extent possible.

Long-term multimorbidity often entails polypharmacy, and inappropriate prescribing of medications is a wide-spread problem, and puts older people at increased risk of overmedication and adverse drug events, but also of frailty, memory loss, or delirium, among others.

Current Projects

Learning to Communicate Together: Optimising Interactions with people with Communication Vulnerabilities in Clinical Settings

This project aims to enhance student skills in supported conversation, interaction skills and communication environment optimization. This will be achieved by embedding a communication partner training and awareness workshop in the curriculum speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and audiology students. The project will provide healthcare and informal interaction opportunities through interprofessional information days, led by the students under supervision, and social engagement over tea and coffee with people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) from Parkinson’s Ireland, Cork Branch.