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Biography

I am responsible for developing a research programme centred on health and social care of older people. I supervise a range of postgraduate research students in areas aligned to my research interests and methodological expertise, including topics on falls prevention, healthy ageing environments, and social support in older age. I manage a public involvement network (INSPIRE ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú: Integrating Support for Public Involvement in Research at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú), supporting research, innovation, and educational activities across the University, and beyond. I work with the wider academic, business, and social communities, to help grow activities in the field of ageing. I am currently managing the delivery of a Medical Research Council funded scheme - 'INSPIRE ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú for the MRC', to enable researchers to embed meaningful public involvement at the proposal writing stage. I am supporting third sector organisations (Age UK ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú and Community First) in the evaluation of their services to reduce loneliness in older age, and work with colleagues in the local authority to help grow research capacity. I am the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Lead (Research) for the School of Dental, Health & Care Professions, and an NIHR Academic Career Development Lead.

Previously, I have been a Research Fellow and on a part-time secondment to the UK Cochrane Centre as a lecturer in systematic reviews. My PhD was a mixed methods study including an RCT, focus groups, interviews, and a systematic review. Prior to this, I undertook an MSc in Psychological Research Methods (distinction), and BSc (Hons) in Psychology (2:1). My research has included the first and only hospital-based pilot cluster RCT on shock absorbing flooring for fall-related injury prevention. I also have enjoyed working with Cochrane on training materials in research methods, including developing a suite of online learning materials, and I collaborated on the development of Cochrane’s risk of bias tool for cluster RCTs.

Research interests

My research interests primarily lie in the fields of ageing and age-friendly environments.

Projects have included:

• The SAFEST Review: Shock-Absorbing Flooring Effectiveness SysTematic Review including older adults and staff in care settings
• A mobile messaging service to support the psychological wellbeing of carers of people living with dementia
• Research capacity building in adult social work
• Evaluation of the ‘Close Encounters’ service for reducing loneliness and isolation in older people
• Psychological and Educational Interventions for Preventing Falls in Older People in the Community (Cochrane Systematic Review)
• Research to improve customer experience and safety when using escalators
• The HIP-HOP Flooring Study: Helping Injury Prevention in Hospitalised Older People.
• The PEOPPLE Project: Putting Evidence for Older People into Practice in Living Environments.
• NIHR Physical Environments study exploring the design of dementia care wards to create falls prevention design toolkit.
• Undertaking systematic reviews