Ageing and later life (CABS)
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People
Current CABS members
OU staff:
Dr Nick Willmore
Nick completed his doctorate in 2017 which looked at personalisation and the issues around social capital, policy implementation and the barriers posed by austerity. A registered social worker since 1991 Nick has worked with adults and children and has an interest in management and governance. Future research interests are in the development of communication technologies on the social networks of vulnerable adults and the changes in social work as a result of the pandemic.
Sam Toolan
Sam Toolan is a part-time PhD student (due to complete in 2026) researching ways in which migration and settlement shape mental health concerning ethnic minority older women in the UK. Sam’s research adopts a constructivist stance and a lifecourse perspective and incorporates a Grounded Theory methodology. In addition, Sam works in Higher Education on external engagement.
Dr Catherine Pestano
Catherine is an AL with the OU and has taught and worked in social work, youth work and business, including creativity and innovation. Her research interests include carers, menopause, LGBT* and intersectional diversity, creative expressive arts and mental health.
Dr Emma Stevens
Emma recently completed her PhD at the University of Hull before joining the Open University as a Staff Tutor in 2020. She is a registered social worker, who has worked in the statutory and voluntary sector in child and adult services, most recently working in a strategic safeguarding position within an NHS Clinical Commissioning Group. Her research interests include safeguarding, the Mental Capacity Act, dignity and human rights in health care.
Dr Lesley Baillie
Dr Lesley Baillie is Senior Lecturer and Qualifications Lead for Nursing in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies. She is a registered nurse and nurse educator and a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Find out more about Lesley and her research
Dr Geraldine Boyle
Research interests: Critical perspectives on disability; relational agency and disability; gender and equality; health and social care and human rights; mental capacity law and decision-making in dementia; health and social care policy; health inequalities; long-term conditions, care and quality of life; creative methods; research ethics. Find out more about Geraldine and her research
Dr Joyce Cavaye
Joyce Cavaye joined the Faculty of Health and Social Care at The Open University in 2003. This role follows a long first career in community nursing and then lecturer in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Glasgow. Find out more about Joyce and her research
Dr Manik Deepak-Gopinath (current co- chair of CABS)
Manik’s research expertise lies at the interface between relationships of place and wellbeing. Her programme of work is designed to explore and develop nuanced understandings of the complexities of ageing. Find out more about Manik and her research
Professor Jan Draper
Following a clinical background in adult nursing, I moved into higher education in the late 1980s, supporting students on both pre-and post-qualifying nursing programmes at a range of different academic levels. Over the last fifteen years this has been predominantly in the field of distance learning. Find out more about Jan and her research
Dr Sandy Fraser
I completed my first degree and PhD at the University of Aberdeen before becoming a Research Fellow at the University of Dundee in 1990. My PhD research concerned Looked After children in residential child care, principally related to Fraserburgh Childrens Home. Find out more about Sandy and his research
Dr Caroline Holland
My core research interests are in age and ageing, and how and where people live as they grow older. Find out more about Caroline and her research
Dr Kerry Jones
Since 2016 I have been a Lecturer in End of Life Care in WELS, HSC. In this time I have been the Media Academic for the BBC2 production ‘ A Time to Live’ which was televised in May 2017. Find out more about Kerry and her research
Dr Rebecca Jones
I am a Lecturer in Health and Social Care with interests in later life, sexuality and especially sexuality in later life. Find out more about Rebecca and her research
Dr Chris Kubiak
My main passion lies in understanding practice-based learning in health and social care and in other settings. My work focuses on learning in work-based settings, learning networks, non-formal settings and educational institutions. Find out more about Chris and his research
Dr Mary Larkin
My particular interests are: carers, adult social care, personalisation, carer and service user empowerment, the third sector and the life course approach to health and well-being. Find out more about Mary and her research
Professor Shailey Minocha
Shailey Minocha is a Professor in the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Her research has two strands: learning technologies and social computing. Find out more about Shailey and her research
Dr Rajvinder Samra
I have an interest in attitudes research, both the qualitative exploration and quantitative measurement of our attitudes towards social groups or groups of people. Find out more about Rajvinder and her research
Dr Jitka Vseteckova
My role with the Faculty of Health and Social Care in The Open University is multi-faceted and enables me to be involved in research, teaching, supervision and external collaborations. Find out more about Jitka and her research
Dr Verina Waights (current co-chair of CABS)
Verina is a Senior Lecturer in Professional HealthCare Education and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has over 25 years experience in education and research and is the OU lead for the EU funded project DISCOVER. Find out more about Verina and her research
Dr Philippa Waterhouse
Philippa's research interests and expertise lie at the intersection between Demography and Sociology. Her academic work centres on exploring population health in under-researched contexts and groups, with a particular focus on women and children. Find out more about Philippa and her research
Dr Jackie Watts
Dr Jacqueline Watts is Senior Lecturer and Staff Tutor in the Faculty of Health and Social Care having joined the Open University in April 2004. Find out more about Jackie and her research
Emerita, visiting, retired and founder members:
Dr Bill Bytheway
Dr Jonathan Hughes
Julia Johnson
