Research group

Ageing and Dementia

A woman in late middle age sits and holds hands of a man standing next to her

We research health issues and care systems that affect quality of life in old age. Our solutions help people stay healthy and independent for as long as possible.

Part of Health science

About

Our work informs the design and delivery of services and support. We focus on people with complex needs, such as those with:

  • dementia
  • frailty
  • incontinence
  • multimorbidity (having more than 2 conditions at the same time)

We also look at significant 'transition' points, such as admission to a care home.

Working with both practitioners and users, we design, implement and evaluate ways to improve care, support and outcomes.

We have particular expertise in:

  • developing methods and practices that allow people often left out of research to share their experiences
  • refining techniques in the analysis of big data to investigate complex health needs at population level
  • understanding different experiences of giving and receiving care in an organisational and social context

Our current work covers areas such as personalised care, integrated health and social care, supported self-management and health systems and workforce development.

People, projects and publications

People

Dr Barbara Bradbury

Senior Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Dementia and Continence
  • Flexible Working Practices
  • Organisational Resilience
Connect with Barbara

Email: b.c.bradbury@soton.ac.uk

Address: Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road Shirley, SO16 6YD

Dr Becky Band

Senior Research Fellow

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Becky

Professor Bronagh Walsh

Professor

Research interests

  • Patterns of health service use in older people
  • Avoidable admissions in older people
  • Influence of frailty on health service use

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Bronagh

Dr Carole Fogg

Senior Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Use of health and social care ‘big data’ to characterise older people’s service use and outcomes, especially for people living with frailty or dementia.
  • Development and assessment of interventions to improve care and quality of life for older adults.
  • Methodological expertise: epidemiology, clinical trials of medicines and devices, feasibility studies, patient and public involvement and engagement with health services research.

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Carole

Professor Cathy Murphy PhD RN

Professorial Fellow-Research

Research interests

  • Continence management
  • Dementia and incontinence
  • Continence devices

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Cathy

Ms Cindy Brooks

Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Creating and evaluating online innovative tools to improve health and wellbeing in society
  • Exploring interventions to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy
  • Methods enabling successful development and implementation of innovations in practice
Connect with Cindy

Dr Dawn-Marie Walker

Associate Dean EDI

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Dawn-Marie

Dr Euan Sadler

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Social science approaches and frailty
  • Integrated care for older people living with frailty
  • Dementia, multimorbidity, stroke

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Euan

Professor Jackie Bridges PhD MSN BN(Hons) PGCert

Prof of Older People's Care

Research interests

  • Older people’s care and support
  • Professional work and workforce development
  • Organisational behaviour
Connect with Jackie

Dr Jane Frankland PhD, BSc(Hons)

Senior Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Social processes related to self-management and help seeking
  • Social cultural context of self-management
  • Sexual function post cancer treatment
Connect with Jane
My research uses data to explore health and care pathways of older adults with complex needs, to inform changes in policy and practice.
Senior Research Fellow