• C Psychol (Clinical)
• Certificate in NHS Management, Sheffield Polytechnic 1992
• Ph D, University of Newcastle upon Tyne 1989
  ‘Cognitive functioning in Parkinson’s Disease’
  Northern Regional Health Authority/ MRC funded
• M Psychol. (Clinical) Liverpool University 1977
• BA (Hons) Psychology Liverpool University 1975

My clinical psychology training in Liverpool was focused on radical behaviourism, and under the leadership of Phil Ley, there was a strong emphasis on doctor-patient communication. In my first post-qualification position I worked in primary care, adult mental health, forensic, psychosexual and older adult work. I moved to Newcastle to obtain one of the first clinical psychology posts in the country specialising in work with older people and this has been my area of specialisation ever since. Whilst in Newcastle, the Service was fortunate to benefit from workshops run by Mark Williams who was at the forefront of the developments in cognitive behaviour therapy.

I took time out from clinical practice to complete my PhD (and have a family) between 1983 and 1987. I obtained an MRC grant to support my work, which was on cognitive functioning in Parkinson’s Disease.

I moved to Birmingham in 1987 and was Head of Older Adult Psychology in South Birmingham Psychology Service for over 10 years between 1987 and 1998. I built up the specialty from 1wte to approximately 8wte establishing an innovative multi-skilled team. I had personal experience of most roles in the Service including physical health, mental health, primary care and community settings. I conducted individual, family and group based client work as well as consultation, training and project work (e.g. implementing training in person-centred care and negotiating and implementing a multi-disciplinary supervision policy). I pursued CPD in systemic therapy during this period, updated my neuropsychology skills and attended many workshops including on solution-focused therapy. I also successfully studied for a postgraduate certificate in NHS management.

I moved to Birmingham University part-time in 1996 and initially also retained my role as Head of Older Adult Psychology on a half time basis. In 2000 I was appointed to the position of Deputy and, in 2001, Director of the multi-specialty Psychology Service, a role I continued until I took up the position of Director of the Clinical Psychology Doctorate at the University of Birmingham in November 2001. In this role, I supervised over 50 ClinPsyD trainees to successful completion of their doctorate research on a range of topics connected with old age psychology, in particular on dementia and on continuing bonds following bereavement. I continued to spend 1 day per week in clinical practice in Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust and most recently contributed to the work of the Birmingham Memory Assessment and Advisory Service and led for the old age clinical psychologists on research.

Having built up a research track record, I was delighted to be given the opportunity to join the Bradford Dementia Group as Chair in Dementia Care from January 2013. I retain an honorary title with the University of Birmingham and continue to supervise doctoral students.

Older people, ageing, bereavement, dementia, mortality, caregiving


Stemming from many years of clinical psychology work with older people in the NHS, my research focuses on understanding psychological adjustment to a range of the most common but difficult hurdles old age can bring. I am interested in factors that contribute to ill-being or well-being, including the ways that people make sense of their situation, the coping strategies that people use and their expectations of themselves. All of us depend on others, but this often becomes more pronounced as we get older, and it means that issues of old age cannot be understood in isolation. So I am additionally interested in the perceptions, ways of coping and influences of relatives and families as well as the ways in which cultural values and beliefs impact upon families and individuals.

Recent publications

On living with dementia

Oyebode JR, Bradley P. Allen JL (In press) Relatives' experiences of frontal variant fronto-temporal dementia. Qualitative Health Research.

Frazer, S., Cleary A. and Oyebode J (In press) How older women who live alone with dementia make sense of their experiences: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Dementia.

Oyebode JR, Motala J, Hardy R & Oliver C (2009) Coping with challenges to memory in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: Observation of behaviour in response to analogues of everyday situations . Aging and Mental Health, 13, 46-53.

On families and relationships in dementia

LaFontaine, J., & Oyebode JR (2013) Family relationships and dementia: a synthesis of qualitative research including the person with dementia. Ageing & Society. E-publication ahead of print.

Riley G, Fisher G, Hagger B, Elliott A, LeServe H, & Oyebode JR (2013) The Birmingham Relationship Continuity Measure: The Development and Evaluation of a Measure of the Perceived Continuity of Spousal Relationships in Dementia. International Psychogeriatrics, 25, 263-274. DOI: 10.1017/S1041610212001743

Oyebode, JR, Smith H., & Morrison.K (2012) The personal experience of partners of individuals with motor neurone disease. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Fronto-Temporal Degeneration. E-publication ahead of print. doi:10.3109/ 17482968.2012.719236

Oyebode J, Bradley, P., & Allen J. (2012) Relatives’ Experiences of Frontal-variant Frontotemporal Dementia. Qualitative Health Research E-publication ahead of print, doi: 10.1177/1049732312466294

Walters A, Oyebode JR & Riley G (2010) The dynamics of continuity and discontinuity in caring for a spouse with dementia. Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice. 9, 169-189.

Allen J, Oyebode JR & Allen J (2009) Having a father with young onset dementia: The impact on well-being of young people. Dementia, 8, 455-480., 455-480.

Campbell P, Wright J, Oyebode J, Job D, Crome P, Bentham P, Jones L & Lendon C. (2008) Determinants of burden in those who care for someone with dementia. Int J Geriatric Psychiatry, 23, 1078-1085.

On staff carers

Smythe, A, Jenkins, C., Bentham P. & Oyebode JR (In press). An exploration of the experiences of staff working within a specialist mental health service in relation to development of the skills for the provision of person centred care for people with dementia. Dementia.

Jenkins, C., Smythe, A, Bentham P. & Oyebode JR (In press). Development of a Competency Framework for a Specialist Dementia Service" Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice

Tadros, G., Ormerod, S., Dobson-Smythe, P., Gallon, M., Doherty, D., Carryer, A., Oyebode J.R. & Kingston, P. (2011). The management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residential homes: Does Tai Chi have any role for people with dementia. Dementia. Epub. ahead of print: doi:10.1177/1471301211422769

Dilworth JA, Thomas  K , Sawkins  N, Oyebode  JR (2011). Use of The Distress Thermometer for the Elderly (DTE) in the Identification of Distress and Need in Nursing and Care Homes Aging and Mental Health, 15,  756-764

Rose J, Madurai T, Thomas K, Duffy B, & Oyebode J, (2010). Reciprocity and Burnout in Direct care Staff. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. Epub ahead of print: DOI:10.1002/cpp.688

Duffy B, Oyebode JR & Allen J (2009) Burnout among care staff for older adults with dementia: The role of reciprocity, self-efficacy and organizational factors. Dementia, 8, 515-541.

Regan A, Howard RA & Oyebode JR (2009) Emotional exhaustion and defense mechanisms in intensive therapy unit nurses. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 197, 330-6.

On bereavement and loss

Oyebode JR & Owens RG (In press) Bereavement and the role of religious and cultural factors. Bereavement Care

Suhail K, Jamil N, Oyebode JR & Ajmal MA (2011) Continuing bonds in bereaved Pakistani Muslims: Effects of Culture and Religion. Death Studies, 35 (1) 22-. doi:10.1080/07481181003765592

Hussein H & Oyebode JR (2009) Influences of religion and culture on continuing bonds in a sample of British Muslims of Pakistani origin. Death Studies, 33, 900-912.

Other

Willott S, Hatton T & Oyebode JR (2012) Reflecting team processes in family therapy: A search for research. Journal of Family Therapy. 34, 180-203

Butt, Tehreem F.; Cox, Anthony R.; Oyebode, Jan R.; Ferner, Robin E. (2012) Internet Accounts of Serious Adverse Drug Reactions: A Study of Experiences of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. Drug Safety.

Kelly, A., Papadopoulos A, Oyebode J, Backmark-Goodwill, H. Halloran, L. (2012). Well-being and mental health in later life: The development and validation of the well-being evaluation scale. British Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 1, 162-170

Ford, S., Howard, R. & Oyebode, J. (2012), Psychosocial aspects of coeliac disease: A cross-sectional survey of a UK population. British Journal of Health Psychology. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8287.2012.02069.x

Rudman N, Oyebode JR, Jones C, Bentham P. (2011) An investigation into the validity of effort tests in a working age dementia population. Aging & Mental Health. 15, 47-57.