Specialist Groups in Long-Term Care (Associate Professorship)

Long-term care is changing rapidly. Clients have increasingly complex care needs, resulting in new specialist groups that require specific expertise. Within the Associate Professorship in Specialist Groups in Long-Term Care, we focus on one central question:

How can we work across disciplines to provide the most appropriate care and treatment for the most vulnerable clients?

We do this through practice-based research, close collaboration with healthcare organisations and strong links with education. In this way, we contribute to future-proof care and help prepare professionals for the challenges ahead.

Professional field

The associate professorship actively collaborates with healthcare providers, welfare organisations, clients and their representatives, volunteer organisations, other educational and knowledge institutions, and government bodies. These partners work together in various forms of collaboration

Research

Mission
“We improve the quality of life of people with complex care needs through practice-based research into specialist groups in long-term care. Our focus is on appropriate, person-centred care.

Together with healthcare professionals, students and partners, we develop and share knowledge that can be applied directly in practice. In doing so, we support care teams in providing appropriate, person-centred care, particularly in situations where care becomes complex.”

Vision
“Long-term care is becoming increasingly complex. We believe that high-quality care is created through collaboration across disciplines, supported by practice-based and academic research. In this way, we contribute to future-proof, person-centred care for the most vulnerable people with complex care needs.”

The associate professorship focuses on current and urgent issues in long-term care. Examples of specialist groups and areas of care include:

Research

• Gerontopsychiatry+
• Korsakoff syndrome
• Huntington’s disease
• Multiple Sclerosis+
• Acquired Brain Injury+
• Long-stay behavioural care (LBS)
• Integrated, barrier-free geriatric rehabilitation care
• Holistic primary care

Research is carried out together with students, PhD candidates, and senior and junior researchers, always in close connection with professional practice.

Education

The associate professorship works closely with healthcare organisation Noorderbreedte and other partners in the professional field. This collaboration ensures that research directly addresses everyday practice and can quickly have an impact on the quality of care.

Through this connection:

• relevant research questions emerge from professional practice;
• findings can be applied directly in practice;
• students learn in a realistic professional context.

Affiliations

• Noorderbreedte research 
  The Associate Professor of Applied Sciences chairs Noorderbreedte’s Scientific Research Committee and supports research in the broadest sense. He also continues to work in professional practice as an elderly care physician. 
• Research group Health and Welfare
  The Associate Professor of Applied Sciences is embedded within the Professorship in Care & Innovation in Psychiatry. Within the Health and Welfare Research Group, he collaborates with the other professorships. There is particularly close collaboration with:
• Talma professorship in Living, Well-being and Old-Age care, led by Professor of Applied Sciences Edwin van Adrichem 
  The Associate Professor of Applied Sciences acts as a bridge between the Professorship in Care & Innovation in Psychiatry and the Talma Professorship; 
• Digital Innovation in Healthcare, led by Professor of Applied Sciences Job van ‘t Veer. 
• University Medical Centre Groningen 
  The Associate Professor of Applied Sciences is a senior researcher within UNO-UMCG, a member of the DEMTECH Steering Committee and Deputy Head of the Elderly Care Medicine training programme in Groningen. 
• Korsakoff Knowledge Centre (KKC)  
  At the national Korsakoff Knowledge Centre (KKC), the Associate Professor of Applied Sciences participates in the National Korsakoff Research Consultation Group (LOKO).
• National Knowledge Centre for Geriatric Psychiatry (NKOP)  
  Within the national Gerontopsychiatry Knowledge Network, which is currently under development, the Associate Professor of Applied Sciences participates in the Knowledge Development and Sharing working group. This group initiates scientific research for the national gerontopsychiatry network.
• Knowledge Network for MS in Long-Term Care
  Within the Knowledge Network for MS in Long-Term Care, the Associate Professor of Applied Sciences acts as a scientific adviser.
• Huntington Network
  The Associate Professor of Applied Sciences is a member of this network.
• Topcare 
  Topcare is a network of centres of expertise in elderly care. Research plays an important role in continuously improving the quality of care. The associate professorship has close links with Topcare and its centres of expertise.
• Healthcare and well-being organisations 
  The associate professorship collaborates with a range of health and welfare organisations across different sectors to conduct practice-based research.