I am a gerontologist working across disciplinary boundaries, and Professor of Ageing and Dementia Research, leading the Ageing and Dementia Research Centre in the School of Health Sciences at Bangor University, Wales. I am also Associate Director of the Wales Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research (CADR), a collaboration with Cardiff and Swansea Universities, funded by the Welsh Government

I like to explore and critically reflect on how, and the extent to which my work might support older people to meet policy aspirations to ‘live well’ despite health problems and cognitive impairment, and provide evidence to improve care and services. I have a special interest in health, well-being and resilience in later life, and some of my current work is exploring what it means to be resilient when facing one of life’s biggest challenges – dementia.  I have a special interest in the benefits of activity, whether that is social, creative or exercise, and recently led a large arts and science collaboration ‘Dementia and Imagination’.

I am involved in Welsh policy development, having co-authoring a number of literature reviews to inform the development of the first Strategy for Older People in Wales and the Healthy Ageing Action Plan (Welsh Assembly Government 2005). I was seconded to the Older People’s Strategy Unit at the Welsh Assembly Government during the 2006/07 interim review period of the Strategy, and was a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group. More recently I was a member of the Welsh Government’s Dementia Strategy task and finish group, and I am now part of the Dementia Strategy Implementation and Oversight Group.

Please look at the research themes here http://dsdc.bangor.ac.uk/research.php.en