Breiffni Leavy

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.

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.