Research
Research at the Institute predominantly explores the lived experiences of people with dementia and those who provide support and care. We achieve this by research exploring the impact of different care environments; geographies of lived experiences; the role creativity, technology and other innovative approaches can have for wellbeing and social health and we also have a team of colleagues conducting research in science laboratories.
We have combined our collective skills and experiences to form a unique interdisciplinary team drawn from social sciences, the arts and humanities and biomedical science.
Our research is impactful and far reaching in scope and scale. We have received funding from a variety of sources including academic research councils, national and local charities, clinical commissioning groups, city and county councils, philanthropic donors, NHS trusts and other public sector providers. We undertake applied and pure research and have completed research evaluations for local, regional and national organisations.
We collaborate with researchers from across the world as well as national and regional organisations, enterprises, and service providers. Most importantly, we aim to undertake work alongside people living with dementia, and our dementia associates play an important role in developing research ideas and supporting projects once underway.
We are skilled using a variety of research methods and disseminate the results of our work in ways that maximise their potential. Alongside publishing our work in journals and books we host and attend a number of conferences, seminars and workshops each year where we share our findings. We run a vibrant programme of wider engagement events in the community where interested parties can find out more about our research.
Examples of published research projects
The Views and Experiences of Diagnostic and Therapy Radiography Practitioners When Caring for Persons Living with Dementia in the Department
By Adam Spacey
We are conducting a research study funded by a College of Radiographers Industry Partnership Scheme (CoRIPS) Research Grant to explore the views and experiences of radiography practitioners (diagnostic and radiotherapy) when caring for persons living with dementia in the department. Despite clinical practice guidance and recognition of the importance of persons with dementia and their carers when undergoing imaging or radiotherapy by the Society of Radiographers, there is little that has explored the radiographer experience or how to support radiographers to provide the best care with persons with dementia and their carers when attending the imaging or radiotherapy department.
This research project also involves close collaboration with the Society of Radiographers to help to further develop their current national radiography practice guidelines and training programmes. This is intended to better support radiography practitioners to improve the quality of patient care they provide to persons living with dementia when attending imaging and radiotherapy services.
The study is nationwide, and we are currently in the process of recruiting participants to take part in online focus group research to explore radiography practitioner views and experiences when caring for patients in the imaging or radiotherapy department. These focus groups will also identify what radiography practitioners feel are effective care strategies used in clinical practice based on their own personal lived experiences. Key findings and themes identified from this focus group research will then be discussed in the next phase of this research which will involve interviews with the core stakeholder group responsible for developing the guidance for the Society of Radiographers to explore these themes and whether current guidance needs to be revised in light of this lived experience information.