Tell Me About Public Lecture Series 2023-24

Prof Amanda Phelan biography

Amanda Phelan is a Professor in Ageing and Community Nursing in the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin since March 2020. Prior to this appointment, she was an Associate Professor in Nursing at the School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin (UCD). At UCD, Amanda was the Director of Gerontological Programmes and Deputy Director of the National Centre for the Protection of Older People. In TCD, Amanda leads Ireland’s only MSc level multi-disciplinary programme on adult safeguarding and has teaching areas in programmes related to community health, dementia, gerontological nursing and advanced practice. Amanda has a research interest in safeguarding vulnerable populations (particularly related to older people), older person care, missed care, public health and community nursing. Amanda is Vice President of the All-Ireland Gerontological Nurses’ Association and a member of the Board of Directors in Third Age and Safeguarding Ireland. Amanda has published two edited books on the topic of elder abuse and her third co-edited book, is on the area of gerontology. She is currently working on a book on community-centred care. Amanda has numerous peer-reviewed publications and sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect and the International Journal of Older People Nursing.

Overview of lecture

This presentation will consider the impact of a human rights based approach within the area of adult safeguarding. The recently implemented Assisted Decision Making Capacity Act will be reviewed in the context and limitations in our current response systems will be discussed.