Beth Fields

Beth Fields is an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education. She holds a secondary appointment as Assistant Professor of Kinesiology. Her research focuses on geriatric health services, caregiving, and improving care quality for aging adults and their care partners. She completed her occupational therapy training at Colorado State University and postdoctoral studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Fields’ work emphasizes person- and family-centered care in hospital and home settings. She has pioneered interventions to enhance caregiver education and care partner inclusion in healthcare systems, particularly for those with dementia. Her research also explores equine-assisted therapies for individuals with dementia and autism, and the implementation of technology like augmented reality (AR) for home accessibility assessments.

Her recent publications highlight innovations in caregiver training, hospital workflow redesign for dementia care, and policy advocacy for family caregivers. She has been recognized with multiple NIH Clinical Research Awards (2018–2023) and the Golden Quill Award from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (2018).

Dr. Fields has delivered presentations globally, including at the Gerontological Society of America and World Federation of Occupational Therapy conferences. Her work bridges clinical practice, academic research, and community partnerships to advance aging-in-place strategies. Current projects include adapting the CAPABLE program to involve care partners and evaluating AR-based tools for home accessibility assessments.