GMRF Compassionate Mind Therapy Study
seeking participants
Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation (GMRF) has launched its latest study
investigating Compassionate Mind Training for ex-service personnel and their partners.
GMRF is seeking couples who are willing to attend
12 sessions of Compassionate Mind Training within a small
group at Greenslopes Private Hospital. The training will occur
twice a week for six weeks and each session will be two
hours in length.
For more information or to register your interest,
visit http://bit.ly/GMRF-CMT
Pilot study to help orthopaedic patients recover
faster through computer-based therapy
Staff at Greenslopes Private Hospital
are researching the impact of cognitive
impairment on orthopaedic patients who
are undergoing rehabilitation – in order
to help them spend less time in hospital.
Thanks to funding from the GMRF
Innovation Grants Program, occupational
therapist Carissa Bernal-Carrillo and
staff at the hospital’s rehabilitation unit
are trialing a computer-based cognitive
therapy program aimed at improving
cognitive function, activities of daily living
and outcomes for patients.
“Based on research I’d conducted as part
of my Masters, I found that cognition is an
influential factor that impacts on patient's
length of stay and outcomes,” Carissa said.
“The research also indicated that our
orthopaedic patients often present with
8 | GPH News – May 2019
a mild cognitive impairment which is
not routinely addressed as part of the
rehabilitation process.”
Armed with the findings of her Masters
research, Carissa successfully applied for
a GMRF Innovation Grant in 2018.
Now in its eighth year, the grants
program has provided thousands of
dollars in funding to enable GPH staff to
conduct research into a range of areas to
improve outcomes for hospital patients.
Carissa’s project will trial the use of the
computer-based program Rehacom.
This software assists therapists in
rehabilitating patients in the areas
of attention, concentration, memory,
perception and the function of
day-to-day tasks.
“Previous cognitive therapy has all been
paper-based or on iPads, which can be
tricky for older patients to use,”
Carissa said.
“This program allows us to simulate
situations that are difficult to replicate in
hospital. It can identify cognitive issues
that may be associated with daily tasks,
such as money management
or shopping.”
“With a program like this we can
potentially better identify the resources
and therapy suited to a patient’s recovery
as an inpatient and the services and
supports a patient requires for discharge.
It also allows us to start doing practice
much earlier on, hopefully leading to
patients getting home sooner.”
Carissa and her team aim to run the pilot
program from March to September this
year and review the results to determine
the impact on patient outcomes.
“I’m grateful to be given the opportunity
to research something with the potential
to be such a benefit to a variety of
patients. Not only could this help patients
during rehabilitation, but also longer term
living at home safely and with a better
quality of life.”
To find out more about the
Innovation Grants Program, visit
www.gallipoliresearch.com.au.
Carissa Bernal-Carrillo with Emeritus Professor John Pearn AO