Tineke Abma is professor of Arts & Health at the Erasmus School for Health Policy and Management, and professor of Older Adults Participation at the Leiden University Medical Center. Abma is also Executive-director of Leyden Academy of Vitality and Aging. She has been conducting research for more than thirty years on themes closely related to the participation of older adults and patients, participatory research, ethics and diversity. Art and creativity have always played an important role in her work. She makes extensive use of and has published on various creative and arts-based methods, including photovoice. In addition to art as a method, she has been conducting systematic research into the value of art for years. From 2019-2021 she coordinated a large-scale national study into the impact of art on older adults funded by ZonMw and the charity funds. She is co-initiator of Arts in Health Netherlands, Steering Committee Member and involved in the creation of the Whitepaper Arts in Health in The Netherlands, A National Agenda. Abma is the author of many publications and several books, including Participatory Research for Health and Social Well-Being (Springer Nature, 2019).
In the media
Tineke appears regularly in Dutch media on topics related to ageing, elderly care, and the participation of older people in society. In 2020 and 2021, Tineke generated attention for the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the health and wellbeing of older people. She was interviewed by national newspapers and invited to various prime time news shows, such as SBS6 Hart van Nederland. Several op-eds were published, for example in newspaper Trouw and in Journal Sociale Vraagstukken.
Publications
Tineke Abma published more than 150 international scientific articles (H-index 40), click here for an overview. Please find below a selection of recent, relevant articles:
- E. Bendien, B. Groot, and T.A. Abma, Circles of impacts within and beyond participatory action research with older people, Ageing & Society (2020)
- T.A. Abma and E. Bendien, Autonomy in old age, Family and Law (2019)
- S. Woelders and T.A. Abma, Participatory Action Research to enhance the collective involvement of residents in elderly care: about power, dialogue and understanding, Action research (2019)
- H. Leyerzapf, M. Visse, A. de Beer, and T.A. Abma, Gay-friendly care: creating space for sexual diversity in residential care by challenging the hetero norm, Ageing & Society (2016)
- T.A. Abma and V.E. Baur, User involvement in long-term care. Toward a care ethics approach, Health Expectations (2014)
- F. Boelsma, V.E. Baur, S. Woelders, and T.A. Abma, “Small” things matter: Residents’ involvement in practice improvements in long-term care facilities, Journal of Aging Studies (2014)
- J. Bindels, V.E. Baur, K. Cox, S. Heijng, and T.A. Abma, Older people as co-researchers: a collaborative journey, Ageing & Society (2013)
PhD theses
Tineke supervised more than thirty PhDs. Please find below a selection of dissertations covering topics related to vitality, the participation of older people and inclusive elderly care:
- Rosalie Metze. Independence or interdependence? A responsive evaluation of Family Group Conferencing for older adults (2016)
- Maaike Muntinga. Together toward transition. Implementing a comprehensive care program for frail, older people in primary care (2016)
- Miranda Snoeren. Working + Learning. A complexity approach to workplace learning within residential care for older people (2015)
- Bienke Janssen. Resilience and old age. Community care from an insider and empowerment perspective (2014)
- Jill Bindels. Caring for community-dwelling frail older people. A responsive evaluation (2014)
- Fenna van Nes. Everyday activities of aging couples. Challenges in the face of declining health (2013)
- Vivianne Baur. Participation & partnership. Developing the influence of older people in residential care homes (2012)
- Sandra van der Dam. Ethics support in elderly care. Developments and specific needs for ethics support and an evaluation of Moral Case Deliberation in two Dutch elderly care organizations (2012)