Cindy Jones

Dementia causes many changes in people’s lives, including changes to intimate relationships, sex & expression of sexuality. Understanding preferences for expression of sexuality are fundamental in improving physical and sexual health, quality of life and psychosocial well-being for people living with dementia. The project develops and evaluates a tool to improve the care and support of people living with dementia in long-term care settings from a person-centred approach. Knowledge gained from the tool will allow health professionals to extend care provision into a previously neglected area via developing and/or revising guidelines for practice (e.g. care plans and procedures).

It implies potential significant improvements in the understanding as well as care practices of health and care professionals towards expression of sexuality so as to enable the facilitation of a care environment that is supportive of the verbalisation and expression of sexual preference, need and desire by people living with dementia.

Jones C., Moyle W., & Van Haitsma K. (2021). Development of the 'Intimacy and Sexuality Expression Preference' tool for residential aged care. Geriatric Nursing, 42(4), 825-827. DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.04.004.

Jones C. (2022). Sexuality in Australian long-term care: A personal work journey and the road ahead to improve Australia’s approach to welcome LGBTQI people in long-term care. Generations Journal vol. 46, no. 4 (Winter 2022–23) [https://generations.asaging.org/sexuality-australian-long-term-care]

At the time of award, Dr Jones was an Associate Professor of Behavioural Sciences at Bond University and an Adjunct Research Fellow with the Menzies Health Institute Queensland at Griffith University.