Suicide is a growing problem across Asia. As its societies have become more affluent, rates of suicide have increased markedly presenting communities and governments with a complex problem to manage.

Professor Paul Yip (Director of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong) presents a discussion of how experiences with Hong Kong's public health approach to suicide prevention have coped with this problem.

Introduced by Professor Nick Bisley. A La Trobe Asia seminar.

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Aphasia is a devastating communication disability that affects approximately 120,000 Australians and unfortunately people with aphasia often are misunderstood.

Dr Miranda Rose (Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Health Sciences) and her team are working on ways to help improve the quality of life for people with aphasia through two strategies:

- To try and prevent depression from developing in the first place through a very early tailored mood and communication intervention.

- To expand community aphasia groups so that people with aphasia can develop rich social connections, get meaningful activity back in their life and develop a positive self-identity.

Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Approximately one per cent of the Australian population stutters and the impact of the condition can be severe. While stuttering is treatable, the treatment is resource intensive and costly, and for many is inaccessible to access effectively.

Dr Shane Erickson is leading a team to develop an internet-based tool that effectively delivers speech restructuring treatment for chronic stuttering. He hopes it will be available towards the end of 2014, and be accessible to anyone in the world for free.

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Professor Yvonne Wells (Head of the Lincoln Centre, Professor of Aged Care Research and Policy Development at La Trobe University) on the challenges for aged care services in Australia, and current studies into whether keeping ageing Australians in their homes for longer is really the best solution.

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Dr Julie Ellis (Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University) and Ros Ben-Moshe (Community Health, La Trobe University) have been running a study in aged care facilities with laughter yoga. Their results have been overwhelmingly positive.

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La Trobe, in conjunction with dance researchers at the University of Melbourne, is at the centre of breakthrough trials using DANCE to assist alleviating some Parkinson’s symptoms. World-renowned expert on the condition, La Trobe’s Professor Meg Morris is helping lead a global study into its healing effects.

Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Dr Margaret Winbolt (Senior Research Fellow, Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University) and Dr Michael Bauer (Senior Research Fellow, Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University) on a study looking into the impact on carers of using MP3 players with those living with dementia.

Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Professor Meg Morris (Allied Health, La Trobe University) outlines the success her team has had in breakthrough trials using dance to assist alleviating some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Dr Michael Bauer (Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University) has been researching sexuality in aged care facilities. With a team of researchers he has developed an assessment tool for aged care service providers to help them support the expression of sexuality of residents, both with and without dementia.

Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Dr Michael Bauer (Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University) has been researching sexuality in aged care facilities. With a team of researchers he has developed an assessment tool for aged care service providers to help them support the expression of sexuality of residents, both with and without dementia.

Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.