Attracta Lafferty

Dr Attracta Lafferty is a Research Fellow at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin (UCD), and Associate Centre Director at the National Centre for the Protection of Older People (NCPOP) since 2009. She holds a DPhil in Social Psychology from the University of Ulster and a Postgraduate Certificate in Statistics from Trinity College Dublin.

Research Interests:

• Family caregiving and carers in employment
• Ageing, elder abuse, and dementia care
• Intellectual disabilities and health systems
• Gerontology and public health interventions
• Work-care reconciliation strategies

Recent Research Trends: Her work focuses on caregiver health outcomes, workplace flexibility, and policy responses to family carers. Key projects examine resilience in caregiving, pandemic impacts on carers, and scoping reviews for educational/institutional support systems.

Scientific Awards:

• HRB Emerging Investigator Award (€800,000.00, 2017)

Grants: She leads a four-year HRB-funded project (2018-2022) to develop workplace health promotion programs for family carers.

Teaching & Supervision: Thesis supervisor for PhD students at UCD, with a focus on work-care integration and caregiver well-being.

Professional Activities: Active in committees including UCD NMHS Graduate Research Degrees Committee, Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team, and multiple journal review boards.