Geraldine Foley

Biography

I hold a PhD, MSc.OT and a BSc.OT from Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin. Since 2014, I have been an Assistant Professor in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, TCD. I was awarded a prestigious Health Research Board (HRB) Research Fellowship for Healthcare Professionals in 2011 and I have been a HRB Research Fellow at the School of Social Work & Social Policy, TCD (2011-2014). I worked as a clinical specialist occupational therapist (2006-2011) and senior occupational therapist (2001-2006) in neurology at Beaumont Hospital Dublin. Prior to the above, I worked as an occupational therapist in the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dublin (1997-2000). My primary research interests lie in: the experience of chronic and terminal illness; healthcare experiences of people with neurological and palliative conditions (with a strong focus on experiences of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis / motor neurone disease); end-of-life care; neuropalliative care; and neurorehabilitation. My expertise is in qualitative research methods, in particular, the Grounded Theory (GT) method. I collaborate with qualitative methodologists in the social sciences on the application of qualitative research methods. I have published in reputable ISI-ranked international journals. I have also published chapters in books by academic publishers. Some of the leading journals that I have published in include Social Science & Medicine, Health Services Research, Palliative Medicine, Qualitative Health Research, and ALS & Frontotemporal Degeneration. I have presented my work in multiple forums (national and international) including for instance, ALS/MND International Symposia, the Kaleidoscope International Palliative Care Conference, and the World Congress of the European Association of Palliative Care. I work in inter-disciplinary contexts and I have collaborated on a HRB Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement (ICE) research programme. I am an internationally recognised academic (Google Scholar: h-index 8, i10index 7, 233 citations). I peer review for reputable ISI-ranked journals in my fields of interest. I have been an expert reviewer for Cancer Research UK, the National Medical Research Council Singapore, and for the Italian Foundation for ALS Research. I teach on and have designed a number of modules in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine. I supervise students at undergraduate and postgraduate level (Masters and PhD). I have been a guest lecturer on a MSc/Post-graduate Diploma in Neurology and Gerontology at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) and on the MSc. Occupational Therapy (Professional Qualification) programme at the Department of Clinical Therapies, University of Limerick. I am an active member of the European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC), Dementia and Neurodegeneration Ireland (DNDI), and the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI).

Research Interest

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Motor Neurone Disease; Biographical disruption; Chronic Illness; End-of-life care; Grounded Theory; Life course perspective; Neurodegenerative Diseases/Disorders; Neurological disorders; Neuromuscular Disorders; Neuropalliative care; Neurorehabilitation; Occupational Therapy - Neurological Disorders; PALLIATIVE CARE; Patient experience; Patient preference; Qualitative research methods; Quality of life (QoL); Terminal illness