Ruth Walker

Ruth Walker is an Associate Professor in Disability and Community Inclusion at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia. Her expertise lies in qualitative research to explore late-life transitions, family caregiving, and the intersection of disability and aging.

Education:

• PhD in Public Health (Women's Health), University of Adelaide, 2002
• Master of Rehabilitation Counselling, Griffith University, 2018
• BA Hons, 1st Class (Psychology), University of Otago, NZ, 1997

Ruth's research focuses on older populations, particularly disabled individuals and their caregiving networks. She employs mixed methods to develop preference-based quality of life instruments for economic evaluation in aged care. Recent projects include the Australian Research Council-funded study on post-parental housing transitions for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Notable Research Themes:

• Housing transitions
• Family caregiving dynamics
• Quality of life in aged care
• Emotional well-being in oldest-old
• Social networks and memory
• Cultural barriers in migrant populations

Contact:

• Email: ruth.walker@flinders.edu.au
• Phone: +61 8 8201 7936
• Address: Sturt Rd, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042