Researching issues of health and illness
Over the past decade, I have written around 80 opinion pieces, published mostly in The Age, The Guardian and Michael West but also in Sydney Morning Herald, Pearls and Irritations, Croaky, The Big Smoke and The Klaxon . I have also been a frequent contributor on the Letters page in The Age. This document is a collection of my opinion pieces and letters.
After interviewing older people who receive aged care services in residential care and at home, staff and academics, I wrote a brochure to assist support workers when older people feel sad.
In 2020, Mable commissioned me to interview clients about their experiences self-managing a home care package. Critical findings were not made public because they were ‘commercial-in-confidence’.
I undertook the current research project in a voluntary capacity because an honest public discussion about self-management needs to include what is good and not good about self-management.
Dr Russell surveyed staff about what they like about working in an aged care home. This research did not receive any funding.
In 2018, the Minister for Aged Care commissioned Dr Russell to evaluate home care services for older people. Dr Russell worked with Peninsula Health.
Dr Russell asked families to describe their experiences visiting an aged care home. They were asked:
What do you like about the aged care facility (or facilities) that you visit? What don’t you like about the facility (or facilities) that you visit?
If you could change ONE thing to improve services in aged care facilities, what would you change?
What do you like about the physical environment (e.g. rooms, lounge, dining
room, outside area)?
How could the environment be improved?
What do you like about the personal care (including the medical and nursing care)?
How could the personal care be improved?
What do you like about the services (e.g. meals, laundry, hairdressing)
How could the services be improved?
What do you like about the activities?
How could the activities be improved?
What things reassure you that residents are safe in the aged care home?
In 2017, the research was published with funding from South Eastern Primary Care Network.
In 2016, Dr Russell was commissioned to write a rapid literature review on binge eating disorders.
In 2012, Dr Russell interviewed residents, staff and families in an aged care home to evaluate the standards of care.
In 2009-2010, Dr Russell undertook two consultancies for the Royal District Nursing Service: (1) An analysis evaluation data of a model of care to improve care for people living in the community with dementia; and (2) An analysis of qualitative data exploring people’s experience of wearing compression stockings to prevent leg ulcer recurrence following venous leg ulcer healing.
Dr Russell undertook an analysis of qualitative data of decision-making processes of people who had undertaken IVF and had surplus embryos.