With a background in psychology and social work, Bridget has specialised in work with older adults since 1983 and has specific interest and expertise in violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of older people, particularly older women.

Bridget has been recognised nationally in the UK for her work on adult safeguarding/protection and internationally for her work on elder abuse. This includes older people who experience violence, abuse and neglect in institutional care settings. In 2010 she received the International Rosalie Wolf Award for her work in the field of elder abuse research and practice. She has undertaken mixed-methods research on adult safeguarding and elder abuse in the UK and Europe and has also acted as a consultant/advisor to the Department of Health (England) and the Scottish government, the European Commission and the World Health Organisation, as well as to third sector organisations and NGOs.

Bridget’s last academic position was as Reader in Mental Health of Older People, University of East Anglia (2010-20); since retirement from this position in August 2020 she has held an Emeritus position at UEA and acts as an Independent Consultant in relation to elder abuse, adult safeguarding and adult social care (specifically older people, but with interests across the range of adult social care and including LTC). Bridget also has expertise in the ethics of care practice and research ethics and was a member of the HRA Social Care Research Ethics Committee (REC) for 10 years until 2019. She became a member of a London REC in March 2022. She is also a Trustee of a local Healthwatch organisation and a member of the Older Women’s Network (OWN), Europe and a AGE Platform Europe taskforce on Dignified and Healthy Ageing, which encompasses LTC.