Moira Dunsmore
Dr Moira Dunsmore (RN BN Post-Grad. Dip. Public Health PhD) is an early career researcher with transdisciplinary experience in nursing, public health, and health social science. Moira’s post-doctoral research focuses on the social experiences of older persons with dual sensory impairment (DSI). Her research explores social capital and stigma in ageing, as well as dyadic relationships, the carer role, communication and health care access, of older adults with DSI. Early collaboration with Menzies Centre for Health Policy & Economics at Sydney University (Vision Hearing Project [NHMRC]) and Vision Australia led to further published research in this area and the completion of her PhD titled “An invisible disability: navigating the enduring state of dual sensory impairment (DSI) in older age”. Moira is co-author of ‘Dual Sensory Impairment in older persons: an invisible disability?’, co-chair of the DUAL-SIG (special interest group) and the DUAL-SIP (Dual Sensory Impairment project based at the University of Sydney.
She is a senior lecturer in the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, with a focus on population/public health, social determinants of health, primary health care, health care systems and health policy.
Annmaree Watharow
Dr Annmaree Watharow has dual sensory impairment or deafblindness as it is sometimes called. She has been a general practitioner and provided care to people with sensory loss/es. Annmaree is now a researcher at The University of Sydney’s Centre for Disability Research and Policy (CDRP). Her research interests are dual sensory impairment in all life stages, but especially in older people where the gaps in diagnosis and service provisions and resource allocation are so enormous.
At present she is one of the co-founders of the dual sensory impairment project as well as the author of two books:
- Improving the Experience of Health Care for People Living with Sensory Disability: Knowing What is Going On
- Dual Sensory Impairment and the Older Person: An Invisible Epidemic.
She has also written a play called Harms Way, which centres on the experiences of five people with dual sensory impairment in hospital.
Julie Schneider
Dr Julie Schneider (BAppSC (OT) Hons, PhD) has been involved in research over the last two decades focused on the prevalence, impacts and implications of people living with hearing loss and dual sensory impairment (DSI) across the life course – from adults navigating a hostile world, to the complexities of older age and lack of recognition, systemic pathways and supports. Her background in occupational therapy informs a commitment to meaningful participation for all and an interest in health professional education.
Julie is currently a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Disability Research and Policy (CDRP), The University of Sydney. Prior to completing her PhD and moving into research, she worked as an occupational therapist in hospital and rehabilitation settings, followed by low vision and blindness clinics – where her passion for sensory impairment was ignited.
Julie’s PhD (2006) was a qualitative study committed to capturing the lived experiences of adults with acquired deafblindness, exploring their social experiences and experiences of disability through interviews and participant observation. Her post-doctoral work with the Blue Mountains Eye and Hearing Studies (2008-2010), explored data collected on sensory impairment and it’s impacts for older Australians (>55 years). When working for the Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Julie managed an NHMRC funded partnership project (the Vision Hearing project, 2010-2013) which sought to identify the prevalence of hearing loss among older clients attending low vision clinics in Sydney, identifying unmet need and educating older people about hearing services.
Since 2022, Julie has been involved with the Dual Sensory Impairment Project group at University of Sydney with colleagues Drs Annmaree Watharow and Moira Dunsmore. Julie is also a busy parent to three boys and spends a disproportionate amount of time dealing with dirty laundry.