Breiffni Leavy

Breiffni Leavy

Docent
Telephone: +46852488814
Visiting address: Alfred Nobels Allé 23, 14183 Huddinge
Postal address: H1 Neurobiologi, vårdvetenskap och samhälle, H1 Fysioterapi, 171 77 Stockholm

About me

  • My research is focused primarily on physical activity and home exercise for older people in general and more specifically, people with Parkinsons
    disease. I am especially interested in investigating how to bridge the gaps between research knowledge and standard primary care rehabilitation, where the vast marjority of older adults with progressive disease receive care.  I am also employed at Stockholms sjukhem where I am focusing on developing home exercise interventions Parkinsons disease using mobile health technology.  

    Investigating rehabilitation for complex health conditions requires the application of a variety of methods, and my experience spans  
    methodologies from qualitative, to epidemiology and intervention and implementation approaches. I completed my PhD in 2015 at Uppsala university, where my dissertation investigated fall-related hip fracture using a varied methodological 
    perspectives. I then wished to focus on the group of people at highest risk for falling - people with Parkinson's disease. 
    I graduated as a physiotherapist from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland in 2000. I completed my masters at Uppsala University in 2007, and my PhD at
    Uppsala in 2015. Since then I have completed courses in intervention and implementation science as well as pedagogy at university level.

Teaching

  • I teach at graduate and post-graduate level at the physiotherapy program at 
    Karolinska institutet. I also supervise Post-doctoral researchers, PhD and Masters students.

    I am course coordinator the Physiotherapy for Children and Older adults.

Articles

All other publications

Grants

  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 July 2023 - 30 June 2026
    Older people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are one of the frailest groups in society, as debilitating symptoms place them at high risk for physical inactivity, social withdrawal and reduced quality of life. PD symptoms also lead to emotional and communicative changes which can severely affect social functioning and result in loneliness and stigmatization.  The proposal outlines five studies which ultimately aim to increase the accessibility and success of implementing evidence-based welfare technology to support active and dignified ageing with PD, and also older adults requiring support for chronic disease.   Research goals are:To investigate the efficacy of eHealth delivered motor-cognitive home training with regards to functional capacity, motor-cognitive ability, and physical activity behaviour, by performing a randomised controlled trial.To investigate how the use of novel wearable technologies can enhance the assessment of motor-cognitive performance in PD. To investigate patterns of participation in places for activities outside of the home among people with PD, and to explore how use of eHealth and other factors are associated with these patterns.To explore and describe perceptions of carers to people with PD regarding the potential for eHealth technology to support everyday life and participation.To investigate health care professional’s perspectives on determinant factors for the implementation of welfare technology for the care older adults with chronic diseaseOur methods will span a variety of designs and methods - a randomised control trial (RCT), cross-sectional observational studies and qualitative data collection. We will also investigate perceptions of welfare technology from multiple perspectives, including carers to people with PD and a wide range of health care personnel.  Findings from these studies will have direct relevance for older people living with chronic and progressive disease, their relatives or carers and for the future implementers of welfare technology- health care providers specialised in the care of older adults. The project group is multi-professional and incorporates physiotherapists, a Neurologist MD, occupational therapists and neuropsychologists. The planned studied are in conjuntion with clinical Geriatric hospital, which ensures timely implementation of findings. Studies 1 (RCT) and 2 (cross-ectional) are underway (commenced Oct 2022), all remaining studies studies are planned to be completed by summer 2026.
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 July 2019 - 30 June 2022

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2022

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