About the Rehabilitation and Ageing Research group

Expertise

The group has extensive experience of digital solutions for rehabilitation and ageing and a strong focus on people whose lives are affected by communication impairment. 

We develop and evaluate complex interventions through participatory and implementation-focussed research. Projects are routinely instigated and carried out with partners who have lived experience of the issues we aim to address through bespoke project Patient and Public Involvement groups, user centred design, co-design and co-production. We also evaluate new interventions across different phases of the MRC framework for complex interventions with expertise in pilot and feasibility trials, phase 3 multicentre trials, process evaluation and fidelity assessment. To capture this complexity, our work takes a mixed/multiple methods approach.

Impact

Notable impacts include computer supported aphasia therapy being recommended in highly regarded clinical guidelines nationally and internationally and a new voice input voice output communication aid being made available through commercial partners. Communication eLearning has been made freely available on the NHS learning hub for better communication in stroke care and rehabilitation. The publication of a Consent Support Tool has supported the inclusion of many people with limited communication ability in accessing research studies across the UK. The team has also been involved in the creation of an online resource with global reach providing evidence-based recommendations for accessible digital apps for people living with dementia.

Collaborations

With a focus on supporting solutions to real-world problems, a number of associate members of our group work clinically for NHS Trusts across South Yorkshire. The group provides a space for exchange of unresolved clinical/NHS service problems and research expertise and experience. We are supporting early career clinical researchers from speech and language therapy and occupational therapy.

We have strong links with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, stroke services in particular.

As the focus of our rehabilitation work is on acquired or progressive neurological disorders, we also work with the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) on projects and joint supervision of PhD students. We also work closely with the Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit for delivery of trials, and the University of Sheffield psychology department to contribute behaviour change expertise to the development of new interventions. 

Dr Phil Joddrell is the lead of the psychosocial research theme of The University of Sheffield dementia research network, bringing together academics from departments including Music, the Management School, SiTRAN and Psychology.Dr Joddrell also works for Dementia UK ensuring the charity is a key collaborator. 

Professor Rebecca Palmer has strong links with the Stroke Association, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the international Collaboration of Aphasia Triallists, as well as aphasia charities and support groups including the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia, Say Aphasia and Aphasia Support.