UOW researcher wins $652k fellowship to help older heart patients transition home safely

UOW researcher wins Heart Foundation Fellowship to improve heart care for older Australians

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA: University of Wollongong (UOW) cardiovascular nurse researcher Professor Caleb Ferguson has been awarded a four-year $652,000 Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship to transform how frail, older adults with multiple heart-related conditions transition safely from hospital to home.

Professor Ferguson’s groundbreaking research will develop and test a nurse-coordinated, phone-based transitional care model aimed at improving recovery, reducing hospital readmissions, and enhancing quality of life for people living with heart disease and stroke.

As the Academic Director of the Centre for Chronic and Complex Care Research—a collaboration between UOW and the Western Sydney Local Health District—Professor Ferguson brings over two decades of experience in cardiovascular nursing and stroke care. He is also a member of UOW’s Health Innovations research team, known for advancing translational health solutions for Australia’s ageing population.

“Too often, patients feel as though they’ve ‘fallen off a cliff’ after leaving hospital because they lack the preparation, information, and support they need,” Professor Ferguson said. “This experience drives my research to improve quality of life and help people transition safely home.”

Addressing a ‘perfect storm’ of ageing and cardiovascular disease

Australia’s ageing population faces a rising challenge of cardiovascular disease and frailty, with many older adults managing multiple conditions such as high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or stroke. Professor Ferguson described this situation as “a perfect storm,” where patients often feel unprepared and unsupported post-discharge.

The new program will directly address this care gap by developing evidence-based tools that help coordinate care, engage patients, and support caregivers. It builds on Ferguson’s leadership in Australia’s first clinical frailty registry, which identified older adults with multiple cardiovascular conditions as being at high risk of rehospitalisation.

Strengthening collaboration and future research capacity

The Fellowship will involve partnerships with patients with lived experience, as well as health services across Western Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven, and Victoria, and include a large, multi-site clinical trial.

Beyond immediate patient benefits, the project will build national and global capacity in frailty and cardio-geriatric research, training the next generation of clinician-scientists in cardiovascular and aged care research.

Professor Ferguson’s award highlights UOW’s leadership in cardiovascular nursing and commitment to tackling national health priorities, including chronic disease management, heart health, and ageing.

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