Barbara Lucas

Barbara Lucas is a Full Professor at the Geneva School of Social Work (HETS-Geneva), part of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO). Her work focuses on social policy analysis, political citizenship in aging contexts, and non-take-up of social benefits, with extensive ethnographic research in Swiss nursing homes.

• Current projects include evaluating social benefit access and promoting adult skills among vulnerable populations.
• Past projects span conflict prevention in Alzheimer's care (2008-2010), political participation in nursing homes (2017-2020), and dependency policies in Switzerland.

Her research explores:

• Non-Take-Up of Benefits: Structural constraints and social experiences of non-claiming.
• Political Citizenship: Linking civic engagement to quality of life in elderly institutions.
• Conflict Prevention: Mediation systems in home-based care for dementia patients.

Barbara collaborates with institutions like the University of Geneva, ZHAW, and SUPSI, funded by organizations including the Leenaards Foundation and Swiss Alzheimer's Association. Her work emphasizes fieldwork-driven policy reform and interdisciplinary approaches to vulnerable populations.