Katie Brittain is professor of applied health research and ageing. She is a social gerontologist with an educational background in sociology. This training has enabled her to pursue her research interests on the social impact that illness can have on the lives of older people. During her time as an applied health researcher, Dr. Brittain has researched and published widely around the impact of ill health on older people and their caregivers, including the impact of neurological illnesses such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Her work focuses on how aspects of the physical, social and technological environment pose challenges and opportunities for older people and their wider community.