Academic Status
Heather Jensen is an occupational therapist and academic who has been working at the Centre for Remote Health since 2004. Prior to this she worked as an occupational therapist in Central Australia and was an integral part of the setting up the James Cook University Occupational Therapy program.
While at CRH she has been involved in the development and delivery of a number of topics in the Masters in Remote and Indigenous Health program including Allied Health topics, Evidence Based Decision Making and Ethics Power and Practice. She also teaches short courses in Recognising and Responding to Dementia in Indigenous Communities, Working with People with Disability in Remote and Indigenous Communities and Assessment and Care Planning in remote, rural and Indigenous communities . Her research interests include providing effective service delivery to people with dementia in Indigenous communities, people with disability in remote and Indigenous communities and the development of appropriate models of service for Allied Health Professionals in rural and remote Australia. She is currently a CI on an ARC funded project A good life for people with disablities on the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara Lands.
She is currently vice chairperson of Disability Advocacy Service in Alice Springs. the She is an active member of Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) and was NT representative on the SARRAH Advisory Committee for many years.
1975: Bachelor of Applied Science (Biology)
Canberra College of Advanced Education
1982: Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)
Cumberland College of Health Sciences
1999: Masters in Health Science (Occupational Therapy)
University of South Australia
2000: Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching
James Cook University
2007 Carrick Award for University teaching Award (team)
Most of my teaching responsibilities are working with post graduate students studying for formal qualifications. I am also involved in teaching a number of short courses around disability, aged care (in particular dementia) and care planning in Indigenous communities for people as part of continueing professional education. I enjoy the opportunity of supporting people who work at the coalface, with information and skills. I gain an enormous amount back in return. Interprofessional and interactive learning is an important component of all my teaching.