The Centre for Ageing, Rehabilitation, Exercise & Sport (CARES) is a designated University Research Centre. The mission of CARES is to conduct high quality multidisciplinary research which focuses on understanding, maintaining and improving human health and function across the lifespan. Research is currently in progress in diverse groups such as children, elite sports performers, the disabled, the aged, and other special groups such as diabetics, cardiac patients and asthmatics. CARES has a commitment to the wider community and aims through its research to contribute to the enhancement of the health and well being of all Australians.
CARES is comprised of members and associates from the School of Human Movement, Recreation and Performance in the Faculty of Arts, Education & Human Development, and the Osteopathy Unit and the School of Biomedical Sciences in the Faculty of Health, Engineering & Science. Other research at the Centre involves collaboration with the School of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts, Education & Human Development and the School of Applied Economics in the Faculty of Business & Law.
CARES consists of nine active research units:
- Alma Unit for Research on Ageing
- Biomechanics Unit
- Exercise Metabolism Unit
- Exercise Physiology Unit
- Exercise Rehabilitation Unit
- Osteopathy Unit
- Recreation Unit
- Sport and Exercise Psychology Unit
- Sport Management and Policy Unit
In addition to staff research, CARES has a major commitment to postgraduate research with over 60 associated doctoral and masters students.
CARES also has well established research collaborations with many state, national and international research organizations, and is developing partnerships with commercial potential in both research and consultancy. Members have established ongoing relationships with other Australian universities, including the University of Melbourne, the University of Western Australia, the University of Queensland, Monash University, LaTrobe University and Deakin University. CARES also has external associations with researchers in a number of universities in the USA, the UK, Europe and Asia. These include Indiana University, Beijing Sports University, Korea University, Aarhus University, University of Southern Denmark, Switzerland Sports Science Institute, Tufts University and the German Sport University Cologne (Deutsche Sporthochschule Koln).
Collaborative research has been undertaken with hospitals such as the Alfred, Austin and Repatriation, New Children's Sydney, Royal Children's, Royal Melbourne, Monash Medical Centre and Sunshine. In addition non-government organisations such as the Asthma Foundation, Australian Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust, Defence Scientific Technical Organisation (DSTO), National Aging Research Institute and Physiotherapy Research Foundation are actively engaged with CARES.
