After graduating in nursing and social work I spent time working in the aged care sector. I also completed a diploma in dance and taught and performed in studio and community settings throughout Australia. I later returned to study working up to a PhD on Australian nurses in the Boer War. I currently am a lecturer in Health Science at the University of South Australia, where I teach in the Bachelor of Health Science Program which is a non-clinical health degree. My research interests include the use of the arts and pets to enhance health and wellbeing particularly in regard to postive ageing, the history of health and exercise prescription and salutogenesis.