November 1, 2019

Ageing: Science, Technology and Healthy Living – BU academics submit written evidence to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee

Background call for evidence:

Life span has increased over recent decades, but health span, the period of time people live in good health, has generally not kept pace, and so older people are living longer with ill health. This increased duration of ill health, both physical and psychological, and often compounded by loneliness, can be challenging for individuals; and the increasing number of people affected is placing pressure on health services and social care, threatening to overwhelm the funding mechanisms, and failing those in need.

Increasing health span has been adopted as a policy objective by the UK Government in the Industrial Strategy’s “Ageing Society” Grand Challenge, which aims to ensure that people can enjoy at least five extra healthy, independent years of life by 2035. This House of Lords inquiry will seek to determine whether the Government’s ambition to increase health span is achievable in principle, and which approaches may be most successful in practice.

Interdisciplinary research is at the heart of our BU2025 strategic plan, and moving into a new role can offer opportunities to work with others. The call for from the House of Lords Science and Technology Healthy Ageing Committee enabled me to partner with a new colleague, and for us to both think about our disciplines in different ways. Taking the ideas we discussed for submitting written evidence, we are now in the process of applying to a charity for a funded PhD student to take the work forward.

https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/science-and-technology-committee/news-parliament-2017/ageing-inquiry-launch/Submissions

BU policy team

Interdisciplinary written submissions to the Committee kept our BU policy advisors, Jane Forster and Sarah Carter busy! BU researchers Katherine Appleton, Samuel Nyman, Debbie Holley and Vanessa Heaslip all submitted evidence.

Dr Samuel Nyman, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health,

A multidisciplinary approach to promote physical activity and exercise among older people

Dr Samuel Nyman is a leading researcher on preventing falls and promoting physical activity among older people. With a background in health psychology, his interests include the use of behaviour change techniques to promote exercise among older people and people with dementia. Dr Nyman was consulted for his expertise by Haringey Council in October 2016, for his input into the council’s Physical Activity for Older People Scrutiny Review. This directly led to recommendations that were agreed by the council.

This evidence is submitted in response to the government’s call, so that policy makers are aware of the need for a multidisciplinary perspective for promoting physical activity and preventing falls. This will include the use of psychological knowledge on behaviour change but also the expertise of others including urban planners to make environments more conducive for physical activity among older people.

His evidence can be read here:

http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/science-and-technology-committee-lords/ageing-science-technology-and-healthy-living/written/105570.html

Professor Katherine Appleton

Professor Katherine Appleton is a Chartered Psychologist and Registered Nutritionist. She has researched human eating behaviour since 1998, with a special interest in the older population since 2006. Much of her research focuses on the optimisation of human health and well-bring in the normal population considering nutrition, physical activity and their impact on behaviour.

Her evidence can be read here:

http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/science-and-technology-committee-lords/ageing-science-technology-and-healthy-living/written/105598.html

Professor Debbie Holley and Associate Professor Vanessa Heaslip

In our submission, we reflected on the role of technology in healthy ageing, and suggested some ‘tech’ futures areas for consideration.

Executive Summary

Technologies to provide a solution for loneliness (e.g. the virtual tea party) and virtual health care can provide efficiencies for the NHS as well as improved access for marginalised communities. However, key barriers are the spread and access to technology (especially rural communities) the skill set (and costs) necessary for the ageing population to engage with this technology, alongside the upskilling of the current NHS workforce to work virtually need careful consideration. Some barriers can be directly addressed by Government 5G and NHS workforce priorities; there is a clear role for charities; other barriers will need universities and industry to work together to engage with agile and rapid prototyping and testing. The methods of procurement need to be revisited, currently excellent SMEs are filtered out – working across with the Department of Business could provide ways of supporting innovation. Further work with experts is needed to invest in effective scaling solutions across the sector, and learning from examples/solutions/suggestions are contained in the text below. More of the same is not going enable the huge changes that demographic pressures are bringing to bear on an already stretched NHS; and work of effective data capture is needed to identify and bring the policy makers lens onto those belonging to marginalised groups.

The link to our full evidence submission here:

http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/science-and-technology-committee-lords/ageing-science-technology-and-healthy-living/written/105617.html

October 18, 2019

Powerless Responsibility: A feminist study exploring women’s experiences of caring for their late preterm babies

NHS, Women's Academic Network, writing Luisa Cescutti-Butler

A new publication by Dr. Luisa Cescutti-Butler (FHSS) and her co-authors (Professor A Hemingway & Dr. J. Hewitt-Taylor) which explores women’s experiences of caring for a late preterm baby using feminism as a research methodology has just been published in the Australian Women and Birth Journal (October 2019). Her research found that women who become mothers’ of late preterm babies have a complex journey. It begins with separation, with babies being cared for in unfamiliar and highly technical environments where the perceived experts are healthcare professionals. Women’s needs are side-lined, and they are required to care for their babies within parameters determined by others. Institutional and professional barriers to mothering/caring are numerous. For example: some of the women who were separated from their babies immediately after birth had difficulties conceiving themselves as mothers, and others faced restrictions when trying to access their babies. Women described care that was centred on their babies. They were allowed and expected to care for their babies, but only with ‘powerless responsibility’. Many women appeared to be excluded from decisions and were not always provided with full information about their babies. The research concludes by recommending that women whose babies are born late preterm would benefit from greater consideration in relation to their needs, rather than the focus being almost exclusively on their babies.

Luisa is Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) and Lead for Examination of the Newborn in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences. If you would like any further information please email Luisa on lcbutler@bournemouth.ac.uk

References:

Cescutti-Butler, L.D. Hewitt-Taylor, J. and Hemingway, A., 2019. Powerless responsibility: A feminist study of women’s experiences of caring for their late preterm babies. Women and Birth, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2019.08.006

Cescutti-Butler, L.D., Hemingway, A., and Hewitt-Taylor, J., 2018. “His tummy’s only tiny” – Scientific feeding advice versus women’s knowledge. Women’s experiences of feeding their late preterm babies. Midwifery, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2018.11.001

October 4, 2019

The Applied Research Collaboration for Wessex

Public engagement Vanora Hundley

Tuesday saw the launch of the Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) for Wessex. This exciting development brings together health and care organisations (including NHS Trusts, universities, Clinical Research Network, Academic Health Science Network, voluntary organisations) to respond to the needs of the people living in Wessex.

The day was opened by Professor Alison Richardson, Director of ARC Wessex who highlighted the challenges faced in Wessex and the four ARC themes designed to address them. There were short presentations of some of the innovative initial projects within the themes: Janis Baird – food product placement; Peter Griffiths – workforce; Stephen Lim – physical activity for older adults; Stephanie Health – Wessex Activation and Self-Management (WASP).

This was followed by a question and answer session with partners from across Wessex (Chair Sandy Ciccognani):

Dr. Chris Kipps – University of Southampton

Bill Gillespie – Academic Health Science Network

Prof. Vanora Hundley – Bournemouth University

Richard Samuel – Hampshire and Isle of Wight STP

Dr. Mark Tighe – Poole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Future work will focus on developing new projects within the four ARC themes and colleagues may wish to contact the theme leads to establish collaborative networks. The four themes and leads are:

Aging and Dementia – Theme Lead Prof. Helen Roberts

Long Term Conditions – Theme Lead Prof. Maria Stokes

Healthy Communities – Themes Lead Prof. Julie Parkes

Health Systems & Workforce – Theme Lead Dr. Tom Monks

To find out more:

Website www.arc-wx.nihr.ac.uk .

Twitter https://twitter.com/arc_wessex

Email arcwessex@soton.ac.uk

August 29, 2019

BU medical science in top immunology journal, ‘Immunity’.

Fusion themes phartley

Colleagues at Cornell University and I have used the fruit fly, Drosophila to tease apart the relationship between immunity and the gut microbiome. The work (which took six years to complete) is to be published in Immunity (impact factor 20 for the ‘metricists’ out there) and has major significance because it starts to explain how the human immune response ‘tolerates’ the billions of ‘good’ bacteria in our body.

Many animals carry billions of bacteria in their intestines which are critical for the digestion of ingested foods. This poses a problem for immune cells because signs of the bacteria regularly end up outside the gut and in circulation. Normally, bacterial signals would elicit a powerful immune system but it would be bad news if the gut microbiome was targeted for destruction by immune cells. How this cordial relationship is maintained is therefore of major interest to immunologists and medical science because it has implications for how we understand inflammatory diseases.

We show for the first time that cells called nephrocytes remove bacterial signals (proteoglycans that make bacterial cell walls) from circulation and that this dampens immune responses. Disruption of this removal system causes immune cells to be over-active – a state not unlike chronic inflammation.

I’m duty bound as a basic scientist to make the point that this work also impacts our understanding of insect ecology. Having an over-active immune system shortened the lifespan of Drosophila – an effect likely to be seen in ecologically and medically important species such as honeybees and mosquitoes. How immune responses are affected by the environment in these species is also a very hot topic of research – one that can also be modeled in Drosophila.

Best wishes,

Paul Hartley (Dept of Life and Environmental Sciences)

June 17, 2019

RUFUS STONE film to be screened in Kazakhstan

Public engagement Kip Jones

Kip Jones will be taking RUFUS STONE by video link to Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education, Kazakhstan this Friday.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s author and Executive Producer, Kip Jones.

The film is available to view here.

June 12, 2019

Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) and Alzheimer’s Research UK launches immersive VR dementia training

NHS, Public engagement, Student Engagement, Training mboard

Dr Michele Board, Professor Jane Murphy, with students Laura Wade, Neil Reid and Abigayle Travers Bu research assistant Rebecca Mitchell, with the team from Alzheimer’s Research UK

Rebecca Mitchell, Year 2 adult nursing students Laura Wade, Abigayle Travers and Neil Reid

A new training resource, launched yesterday (11 June) by Alzheimer’s Research UK and Bournemouth University, uses virtual reality to help healthcare professionals improve their understanding of the symptoms and challenges of dementia, and to help them develop enhanced relationships with people with the condition.

The Lived Experience of Dementia aims to enhance empathy and increase understanding of the lesser-known symptoms of dementia by enabling healthcare professionals to experience the everyday challenges faced by people living with the condition through innovative VR technology. From today, the first 1,000 training packs will be free to order from the charity’s website.

The resource is built around Alzheimer’s Research UK’s groundbreaking A Walk Through Dementia virtual reality app. The free app uses computer-generated environments and 360° video sequences to illustrate in powerful detail the symptoms and difficulties faced by people with dementia.

The Lived Experience of Dementia was developed following a comprehensive evaluation of the A Walk Through Dementia app as a training tool at Bournemouth University’s Ageing and Dementia Research Centre with nursing home staff and undergraduate students including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and adult, child, and mental health nursing students.

The evaluation showed that 81% of users said the app had challenged their perceptions of dementia and 92% had a greater insight into the challenges faced by people with dementia after using it. When asked, 93% of those who tested the app as part of the evaluation said they would recommend it to health and social care staff and family members of people with dementia.

After an introduction to a humanised approach to care, the training pack asks the user to undertake the VR app to follow Anne, who has dementia, as she goes shopping, walks back from the supermarket and makes a cup of tea at home. Each scenario links the challenges Anne faces to the user’s experiences in their working life, enabling them to reflect on how they can apply this insight when interacting with, and caring for, people with dementia.

The resource also incorporates commentary from people with dementia and their carers, including suggestions on the small changes healthcare professionals can make to enhance the care they provide.

The Lived Experience of Dementia is suitable for anyone who provides front-line care in an acute hospital, in the community or in a residential home setting, and covers a range of learning outcomes from the Dementia Training Standards Framework, supporting other learning materials covering Tier 2 standards.

Hilary Evans, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

“With more than 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia and this number set to rise dramatically in coming years, we must do all we can to support those working on the front line of healthcare.

“The Lived Experience of Dementia is a uniquely powerful training tool, using innovative virtual reality approaches to give people first-hand experience of some of the challenges that those living with dementia face every day. Our aim is to harness this technology to provide a low-cost way for formal and informal carers to develop their own skills and widen their perspective of the complex experience of dementia.

“This has been a truly special project for us and we’re hugely grateful to our supporters whose experiences inspired the development of this important resource.”

Dr. Michele Board, Deputy Lead Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) at Bournemouth University, said:

“When we first saw Alzheimer’s Research UK’s virtual reality dementia app, we were struck by its potential to drive more empathy than traditional training approaches. Our evaluation work shows that the VR approach leaves a lasting impact on learners and saw many users refer to their experiences in the app when faced with similar situations in their day-to-day work.

“People with dementia often find it difficult to communicate what they’re experiencing or how they need help. It’s only through truly stepping into someone’s shoes that you can develop really human-centred approaches to care. We hope this training tool will support healthcare professionals in their personal and professional development.”

Trina, living with posterior cortical atrophy – a rare form of Alzheimer’s disease – who fed into the development of the app and the training resource, said:

“When some people think about dementia they just think about memory problems, but it also affects people in lots of other ways. I’m delighted that my experiences and the experiences of people living with other forms of dementia have been used to develop this resource.

“We must talk about dementia more and do all we can to help people understand it.”

Attending the launch in London from BU were Dr Michele Board and Professor Jane Murphy; Rebecca Mitchell Research Assistant and 3 adult nursing students, Abigayle Travers, Laura Wade and Neil Reid. The students have participated in the evaluation, development of the workbook and support delivery of the training to other students, their active involvement throughout the project has been brilliant!

The Lived Experience of Dementia training packs, containing the workbook and virtual reality headset, can be ordered by visiting alzres.uk/lived-experience-dementia

The first 1,000 packs are free thanks to funding from Legal & General, a long-standing corporate partner of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Drinks reception in London at the Launch of the workbook funded by legal and general

Workbook developed by BU to support the AWTD app

Undergraduate students in Kimmeridge Lecture Theatre viewing the AWTD app

June 9, 2019

Generation Z Youth (16-18 years) Invited to a Morning of Sharing

PG research, Public engagement Kip Jones

Sat. 29 June 10am – 2 pm

BU Executive Business Centre 2^nd floor

89 Holdenhurst Road BH8 8EB

Please share this invitation with any teens that you know!

The Project Zed Group at Bournemouth University and Space Youth Dorset are excited to learn about young people’s experiences of being the latest generation of teens and their interface with the world around them! The morning is part of a pilot for a potential larger project for teens to tell their stories on a video channel. Participants will very much be “co-creators” in this process.

We will spend the morning watching some videos about teen’s experiences and talking with teenagers about their own. We are interested in their ideas of identity, gender and sexuality and their relationships with each other. We will give them the chance to begin thinking about how their stories might contribute to a larger story on video or film.

Storyboard sketchbooks will be distributed for participants to go away and begin to plot their own ideas for a story graphically. They don’t have to be great artists, just people with great ideas!

At the end of the morning, we will provide a Bar-B-Que lunch. We will meet up again a month later so that everyone can share their ideas and storyboards together.

Places are limited to teens ages 16-19 years of age only. No exceptions!

Please ask teens to sign up here!

How AHRC-funded Film RUFUS STONE Inspired a Project on the Next Generation

May 31, 2019

Public event – Living well with dementia: Tai Chi, creative drama and independence at home

Public engagement Adam Morris

Come to this public event on Wed 19 June to hear the latest results from 3 dementia research projects:

The benefits of Tai Chi for people with dementia
Dr Samuel Nyman, chief investigator for The TACIT Trial – TAi ChI for people with demenTia, will present the results of a 3-year study that investigated the benefits of Tai Chi for people with dementia and their informal carers living in their own homes in the Dorset, Southampton, and Portsmouth areas.
Supporting independent living for people with dementia (Project: AD-Autonomy)
As part of a 2-year European funded project (September 2017-August 2019), Dr Ben Hicks has been working with European partners to establish an online information portal to provide guidance on supporting people to maintain their independence while living with dementia. Dr Hicks will discuss the development of the information portal and provide attendees the opportunity to engage with it.
The benefits of creative drama and storytelling for people with dementia (Project: Story to Remember)
As part of another 2-year European funded project (September 2018-August 2020), Dr Ben Hicks has been working with European partners to explore the use of creative drama and storytelling as mediums for enhancing social inclusion in people with dementia. Dr Hicks will present the findings from the first stage of the project.

After the talks, come and meet some of our researchers to hear more about dementia research at Bournemouth University over a free light lunch.

Schedule:
Wednesday 19 June

10:15 Doors open
10:30 Introduction by Professor Jan Weiner, co-head of the Ageing and Dementia Research Centre
10:35 Public lecture by Dr Samuel Nyman on the TACIT Trial
11:20 Short break
11:30 Public lecture by Dr Ben Hicks on AD-Autonomy and Story to Remember
12:15 – 13:00 light lunch and an opportunity to meet the researchers

Register now

Please share the link for this public event dementia-and-living-well.eventbrite.co.uk with anyone who might be interested.

April 16, 2019

Redefining What Gender Means for Universities in the 21st Century

PG research, Public engagement Kip Jones

Generation Zed: “fluid” and “ambiguous” are watchwords

A blog piece entitled, “Thoughts on Gender in the 21st Century University Environment” is live on Sage’s Social Science Space from today. The article was inspired by the recent FHSS Research Committee’s call for dialogue on Gender and Research and informed by an earlier Workshop on Gender and Sexuality in the 21st Century held at Bournemouth in 2017.

In the article, Kip Jones asks academics to pause for a moment and reconsider our definition of gender at a time when the very concept of gender is becoming more fluid for many in the wider population, and particulary amongst youth. The article suggests that “it may be time to redefine the terms by which measurements are made concerning gender in the university workplace. Vocabularies need to reflect more precisely the cultural changes in gender that are taking place both within and outside of the University”.

Jones and the Project Zed team have formed a working group for a proposal for a study to engage GenerationZ teens in developing their own stories on gender, sexuality, and socialisation. The teens will then create a YouTube broadcast series of their own design and production. The Project Zed team includes members from FHSS and FMC, working across several disciplines.

February 11, 2019

Wellcome Trust funding available for Humanities and Social Sciences

Funding opportunities Theresa

Two Wellcome Trust funds have issued calls.

Investigator awards in humanities and social sciences – funding available to enable humanities and social science researchers with a compelling research vision to tackle the most significant questions in human health. Researchers at all career stages are eligible.

Collaborative Awards in Humanities and Social Science – supporting teams to tackle major health-related questions in the humanities and social sciences that require a collaborative approach. Research must have the potential to make a significant, measurable difference to health research in the humanities and social sciences.

For both of these the next preliminary application deadline is 2nd July 2019. Contact Alex or Lisa for support.

February 6, 2019

Living on a low-income during pregnancy – women’s experiences, in high income countries”: scoping review protocol

PG research claytonc

In conjunction with her supervisory team, led by Professor Ann Hemingway – Prof of Public Health & Wellbeing, Charlotte Clayton, PGR in HSS, has published her literature review protocol, ‘A scoping review exploring the pregnancy, postnatal and maternity care experiences of women from low-income backgrounds, living in high-income countries’, on the Open Science Framework (OSF) website. The OSF is an online, open access platform which gives researchers the opportunity to share their research activities, and provides a platform for the publication of reviews, like scoping reviews, in order to generate open discussion about research and establish wider networking possibilities.

The review protocol is available at: https://osf.io/yb3zq/

The completed review will be submitted to a peer-reviewed midwifery journal, in the spring of 2019 & forms part of her PhD research – which is looking at the pregnancy and postnatal experiences of women from low-income backgrounds and the role of midwifery-led continuity of care in the reduction of maternal health inequalities.

For further information, email: claytonc@bournemouth.ac.uk or @femmidwife on Twitter

(Clayton, C., Hemingway, A., Rawnson, S., and Hughes, M., 2019. A scoping review exploring the pregnancy, postnatal and maternity care experiences of women from low-income backgrounds, living in high-income countries. [online]. Available from: osf.io/yb3zq).

February 4, 2019

CQR Seminar “Drawing and Self-Ageing” with Curie Scott Wed 6 Feb 1pm RLH 201

PG research, Public engagement Kip Jones

CQR’s ‘Go Create!” February Seminar presents an intriguing topic presented by Curie Scott from CEL. Curie has played an instrumental role in establishing the connection between CQR and CEL around creativity.

Curie will discuss with participants

“Exploring self-ageing through participatory drawing”

Wed, 6 February 1 pm in RLH 201

Curie Scott’s efforts contribute new knowledge in three areas:

Using drawing as a shift from research method to methodology
Accounts of non-artists’ experience of drawing
Contributions to perceptions of ageing

More info: https://bit.ly/2HLmO5P

January 3, 2019

First CQR “Go Create!” Seminar of the New Year Wed 9 Jan 1 pm RLH 409

PG research Kip Jones

Pleased to let you know that the year is kicking off for CQR with an intriguing seminar led by

Kathleen Vandenberghe

“Expressing research findings with an artist”

RLH 409 Wed 9 Jan at 1pm.

All are welcome!

Kathleen’s work involves:

the experience of expressing research findings with an artist who is not a co-researcher
the experience of aiming for an expressing of research findings while holding the view that understanding is relational and positioned and consequently not static
exploration whether the artistic input generates new understandings of the research findings

We are sure that her work will inspire an interesting discussion on Wednesday.
Come along, bring you lunch in you’d like …

even better, bring a friend!

December 16, 2018

There’s a Place Left for You at Creative Writing for Academics…if you hurry!

PG research Kip Jones

There are a very few places left for the two-day workshop in Creative Writing for Academics.

11 & 12 January at EBC.

Further info

It is FREE but you need to commit to the two days.

Email Kip Jones NOW if you would like to reserve one of last places.

December 11, 2018

Reminder: A Few Places Left for Creative Writing Workshop

PG research Kip Jones

The Creative Writing for Academics Workshop on 11 & 12 January is filling up very quickly!

There are only a few places left. If you can commit to attending both days, email Kip Jones now to hold your place.

Read all about a previous Creative Writing for Academics workshop here: https://goo.gl/3fz2Yu

…then get ready for the next one coming in January! https://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2018/12/05/two-day-workshop-in-creative-writing-for-academics-now-open/

December 5, 2018

Two-day Workshop in Creative Writing for Academics now open!

PG research Kip Jones

Creative Writing for Academics

Workshop with Kip Jones

11 & 12 January 2019

Friday (10- 3) and Saturday (10-2),

11^th and 12^th January in EBC.

FREE! But you must register

(email: kipworld@gmail.com)

and commit to participating for the two full days.

All are very welcome: students, staff & academics.

Places are limited and will fill up quickly.

By engaging in creative writing, it becomes possible for all to write more clearly, more simply, even more creatively, when writing for academic publication.
The workshop will present opportunities to work with new and creative levels through interfaces with techniques from the arts and humanities—fiction, poetry, auto-ethnography and biography, scriptwriting, techniques from filmmaking, including tags and loglines.

These intellectual exchanges encourage joint exploration of how authors can engage with principles and tools from the arts in order to expand and extend the possibilities of reaching wider audiences.

Read all about an earlier experience with the Creative Writing Workshop

December 3, 2018

Reminder: CQR Taster Seminar on Creative Writing Wed 1pm R409

Kip Jones

Please make a note to join us this Wednesday at 1 pm in RLH 409