PhD Studentship: Using new technologies to prevent falls of older adults in the home: Understanding residents’ needs, concerns, and attitudes to potential solutions

PhD studentship, University of Bradford, Faculty of Health Studies

Application Deadline:

16 June 2025

Project Title:

Using new technologies to prevent falls of older adults in the home: Understanding residents’ needs, concerns, and attitudes to potential solutions

Project Supervisors:

Dr Joshua Pink, Dr Sarath Rathnayake

Project Description:

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC) is committed to supporting older adults to live independently for as long as possible. Therefore, the Council is exploring innovative technologies to address key challenges, including the prevention of falls. It is important that a person-centred approach is taken to the selection and introduction of new technologies into people’s homes. Falls have serious consequences for individuals, often resulting in hospital admission, loss of independence, and increased reliance on health and social care services.

It is essential that technology-based solutions are introduced in a way that is person-centred, acceptable to older adults, and aligned with their values and needs. Without this, technologies risk being underused or rejected, leading to wasted investment and missed opportunities for prevention.

This PhD project will take a mixed methods approach to explore how technology can be used effectively and appropriately to reduce falls in the home. The first stage involves quantitative analysis of existing Council data to understand the scale of falls among older residents, the associated costs and how these vary across demographic groups. The second stage involves qualitative research (interviews or focus groups) with older adults, to explore their needs, experiences, and concerns about living safely at home. This will help develop a requirements specification for acceptable and effective fall prevention technologies. Finally, you will work with residents to co-design and evaluate potential technology-based solutions.

Based within the Centre for Digital Innovations in Health & Social Care, you will join an active research centre designing and evaluating technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of the health and care system. You will also spend time at the Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, a collaboration between the Universities of Bradford and Leeds and Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. You will also have access to researcher development sessions organised by the University and the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP). 

The studentship is for up to 4 years; you may wish to spend time as a ‘researcher in residence’ within the Council, undertaking exploratory research to develop the research questions, and/or time at the end of the PhD to support translating your research into practice.

Eligibility:

You should hold a first degree equivalent to at least a UK upper second-class honours degree, or suitable postgraduate degree in computer science, human factors, psychology, social science or a health or social care related subject.  

Funding notes:

This PhD scholarship is available for home students only. The scholarship will attract an annual tax-free stipend of £20,780 and will cover the tuition fees.

Funding for:

UK Students

Enquiries email name and address: 

For informal enquiries, please contact research@bradford.ac.uk

How to apply:

Potential candidates should apply directly online through the online application portal.

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