Jenny Liddle

jennifer.liddle@newcastle.ac.uk

My research interests include the everyday experiences of older people, and the development of innovative (digital) approaches to address societal challenges such as loneliness, isolation, health and care in later life. I work as a Senior Research Associate across Open Lab and the Institute of Health and Society at Newcastle University.

After completing my degree in Psychology at the University of Durham, I spent two years working in a small business that manufactured and sold digital technology. I then took up a post at Keele University where I developed research interests in ageing and later life, and subsequently completed my MA and PhD in Social Gerontology. During my nine years working as a Research Associate, I worked with older people and health care professionals on a range of mixed methods studies to explore experiences of everyday life related to housing, health and care. These projects included the Longitudinal study of Ageing in a Retirement Community (LARC), the Patient Experiences of Gout study, a Hip Injection Trial (HIT) for patients with hip osteoarthritis, and a pilot trial of an integrated approach to improve care for people with long term conditions (ENHANCE).

My current work in the EPSRC-funded Digital Economy Research Centre (DERC) at Open Lab is exploring:

• experiences and perceptions of connectedness, loneliness and isolation with older people living in the West End of Newcastle
• the journeys and experiences of people interacting with Care and Repair Newcastle (CARN), in collaboration with colleagues in Newcastle City Council
• new approaches to community service transformation with Gateshead Care Partnership
• new methods of measuring social interaction using wearable digital technologies