Current projects

• Creativity and Movement. This project, funded by UniSC SBCI and Launch Grants and in partnership with Regis and Comlink Australia is an interdisciplinary collaboration between creative and health measures grounded in a foundation of friendship and reciprocity. Using the concept of a photo walk, the participants are encouraged to use creative practice as a means of facilitating physical movement, socialisation, creativity and overall wellbeing. The project has been facilitated 3 times (across aged care and older adults living in community) and is currently in a toolkit production stage which will be rolled out nationally throughout the second half of 2024/early 2025. This work has been presented at conferences nationally and internationally with four journal articles in production.
• Ageing Well Creative Lab. The AWCL is a fortnightly community engagement project which invites older adults to study in the UniSC Maker Space (a MIT accredited Fab Lab) and connect and explore the latest technologies and engage in creative practices. The sessions are facilitated by UniSC academics and draw upon research student and undergraduate student support as well has served as a supportive drop in for undergraduate students across the university (such as psychology and occupational therapy students). Connecting community, research, engagement and teaching, these sessions are open to any older person and, in collaboration with Comlink Australia, often use field trips as a way of connecting with local environment. The UniSC Art Gallery is also a key supporter of this engagement activity.
• Cultural Productions. This UniSC LAUNCH funded project is delivered in partnership with Hibiscus Retirement Village/Keyton Retirement Living. The project aimed to explore the health and cultural benefits of a co-designed and co-produced performance, delivered entirely at Hibiscus Retirement Village by residents of the village. The co-produced variety show ‘Young at Heart’ was delivered in May 2024, with health data spanning measures of wellbeing, purpose, and activity (accelerometer) currently being analysed. The project supported the upgrade of AV equipment withing the Village community hall, and the training of three residents to utilise this equipment for performance, laying the foundations for future productions by the Village residents.

Achievements and impact

• Wadsworth DP, Cash B, Tulloch K, Couper R, Robson K, Fitzpatrick S. (2024). Conducting mental health research with rural and regional older Australians: Reflections and recommendations. >Aust J Rural Health, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.13165
• King, T. (2022). Remembering and forgetting: using photographs as social artefacts in an aged care setting, Visual Studies, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1472586X.2021.1963828 
• King, T, Miller, E. (2021). Where were you during the Queen’s visit? Using photographs to facilitate collective storytelling, resident identity, and positive care relationships in aged care. Australian Journal on Ageing, DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.12979