Catherine Ward-Griffin, RN, PhD
Professor & Scientist
Lawson Health Research Institute
Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Western Ontario
London, ON, N6A 5C1
cwg@uwo.ca

Dr. Ward-Griffin's program of research has focused on a number of nationally funded projects, with a particular focus on gender, care work and health. Working in the areas of gerontology, health promotion, community-based research and health services, her program of research focuses on the negotiation of care boundaries between and amongst health care providers, older adults and their family caregivers in both home-based and long-term care settings. Specifically there are two arms to her research program: 1) Double Duty Caregiving (DDC), and 2) Dementia Care.

Using primarily a critical lens, Dr. Ward-Griffin has designed and implemented qualitative and quantitative studies that investigate the provision and intersections of care work of older adults. She is particularly interested in understanding how the social determinants of health, such as gender and class relations, intersect and shape the health of women and men as they age. Much of her research explores the experiences of elders living with a variety of health challenges (e.g. dementia, cancer, mental illness), as well as investigates the care processes and subsequent health effects in light of the social, economic, and political context that promote or undermine health. Knowledge translation is an essential component of Dr. Ward-Griffin's research, using traditional (e.g. journal articles), professional (e.g. working with advisory committees to influence policy), and innovative (e.g. translating findings into theatrical performances, podcasts) approaches. It is hoped that these knowledge translation activities will shed light on those policies and practices that contribute to the promotion of health of older adults and their caregivers and identify opportunities for change that will enhance health for all.

Curriculum Vitae (pdf)
Graduate Student Research