Larger percentages of people in Australia are living longer lives, significantly changing the demography of a country that was once perceived as a young country. Our national anthem says we are "young and free" but since the mid 1980's, Associate Professor Maree Bernoth has been working with older people. In her profession as a registered nurse, she became aware of the precarious nature of residential care for both the older person and the staff.

The vulnerability of older people and those struggling to care for them, were the impetus for Maree's work as an educator and a researcher. Teaching ageing in innovative and engaging ways that resonate with students, is an opportunity to confront ageist attitudes and demonstrate the professional satisfaction of working with older people.

Her research began by trying to keep the cohorts mentioned above "safe" but in giving voice to conditions of residential aged care, she became exposed and vulnerable. Subsequently, A/Prof Bernoth moved from the clinical to the academy where she has a strong voice and can be an advocate for teaching and policy related to older people and residential aged care.

A/Prof Bernoth has further broadened her research interests to older people living in rural and remote communities, the meaning of community to older people and a participatory model of working with older people.

• Ageing
• Rural ageing
• Working with older people
• Co-creation (with older people) of learning and knowing about ageing

Membership:

• The Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network Aged Care Consortium
• The Australasian Association of Gerontology (AAG)
• New South Wales Committee of the AAG
• Life member of the Hunter Wound Interest Group
• Member of the NSWNA Aged Care Reference Group