Dementia Researcher Blogs

Hannah Hussain - The impact of furry friend’s on people with dementia…

Hannah Hussain narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
All pet owners know that the bond that they have with their furry friend is hard to explain. And with nearly 50% of the general UK adult population being pet owners – I’m sure quite a lot of you can probably relate. They boost our serotonin and they are just our everything! We know how much they can do for people, providing that unconditional companionship, so what can they do for people with dementia? Well, Hannah wanted to find out more, so she did what any researcher would do – a good old database search and found some interesting results… listen to find out more.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-the-impact-of-furry-friends-on-people-with-dementia/
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Hannah Hussain is a PhD Student in Health Economics at The University of Sheffield. As a proud third generation  migrant and British-Asian, her career path has been linear and ever evolving, originally qualifying as a Pharmacist in Nottingham, then Health Economics in Birmingham. Her studies have opened a world into Psychology, Mental Health and other areas of health, and with that and personal influences she found her passion for dementia.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support.
Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk  

Nathan Stephens - Redressing the ‘gold standard’ for evaluating complex interventions

Nathan Stephens narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog Nathan discusses brings forward a debate in the area of evaluating complex interventions. Traditional linear outcome orientated methods of evaluation rooted in positivistic assumptions, such as many standalone RCTs, while providing high levels of rigour, fail to capture emergent outcomes which are the “hallmark of complex programs”. However, the popular opinion that RCTs are the ‘gold standard’ is quickly being redressed, especially for the evaluation of social programmes and even policy change. Traditional techniques have there merits and are defensible choice, but not the ‘best’!
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-redressing-the-gold-standard-for-evaluating-complex-interventions/
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Nathan Stephens is a PhD Student and unpaid carer, working on his PhD at University of Worcester, studying the Worcestershire Meeting Centres Community Support Programme. Inspired by caring for both grandparents and personal experience of dementia, Nathan has gone from a BSc in Sports & Physical Education, an MSc in Public Health, and now working on his PhD.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Marianne Cranwell - On feeling qualitative research, being naïve, and a wee bit of crying

Marianne Cranwell narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In her first blog for Dementia Researcher, Marianne shares the tale of her unexpected emotional journey. During her PhD project with carers of people living with dementia, she learned how it felt to do qualitative research with people who are living through some of their most difficult moments - she explores how this made her feel, the impact on her research and what she has learned along the way.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-on-feeling-qualitative-research-being-naive-and-a-wee-bit-of-crying/
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Marianne Cranwell is a PhD Candidate in the School of Education and Social Work & School of Health Sciences at the University of Dundee. When not wrangling her two children, Marianne is undertaking qualitative longitudinal research that explores the experiences of co-habiting informal carers of people living with dementia when homecare begins. This research is inspired by her time working in social care, and the families she met during this time where the emphasis was put on the service and the person living with dementia and not on their loved ones.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali - Do equality, diversity & inclusion policies provide sufficient support for ECRs?

Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Over recent years academic institutions have increasingly sought to establish policies to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives amongst students and university staff. On paper, this sounds like a progressive move towards balancing inequalities which people from under-represented groups face, but how effective have these initiatives been in practice? In this blog, Kamar reflects on whether EDI policies provide sufficient support for early career researchers (ECRs), and considers the wider impact they might have on dementia research.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-do-equality-diversity-inclusion-policies-provide-sufficient-support-for-ecrs/
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Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teesside University & Affiliate Researcher at Glasgow University. In addition to teaching, Kamar is exploring how neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. Having first pursued a career as an NHS Psychologist, Kamar went back to University in Durham to look at rodent behavioural tasks to completed her PhD, and then worked as a regional Programme Manager for NC3Rs.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Leanne Greene & Alex Gude - Judging capacity in dementia studies

Leanne Greene narrates the blog written by herself and colleague Alex Gude written for the Dementia Researcher website.
Current NIHR guidance advocates that research should strive to improve the inclusion of individuals with dementia, including those who lack capacity (i.e. the ability to make one’s own decisions). Despite this guidance, D-PACT is one of few studies actively including adults who lack capacity through an innovative ‘inclusive recruitment pathway’ and the use of consultees.
In this blog Leanne and Alex how D-PACT went about developing a new approach to addressing capasity, and lessons learned from using their new pathway and guidance.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-judging-capacity-in-dementia-studies-insights-from-face-to-face-and-remote-recruitment/
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Leanne Greene is a Programme Manager at University of Exeter. With a background is in neuropsychology, Leanne spent time as an assistant psychologist in the NHS, including working on a specialist dementia ward offering assessment and treatment of organic mental health problems with dementia. Leanee has worked on a number of studies including Dementia- PersonAlised Care Team (D-PACT) project, which aims to develop and evaluate a system for dementia support based in general practice. She is currently, working on developing and evaluating a primary care TaIlored ManagEment of Sleep (TIMES) tool for people living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment.
Alex Gude is a Research Assistant at University of Plymouth. Having worked as a social worker with children and families for 10 years, Alex moved into research in 2016 and has worked on a number of projects as part of the Community and Primary Care Research Group at the University of Plymouth. All the projects she has chosen to work on are aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of the participants involved. Alex has a partner and two daughters, who are 11 and 14, who all keep her on her toes.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk

Dr Yvonne Couch - Quitting

Dr Yvonne Couch, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
Don’t panic. The title was not a confession. Yvonne isn't quitting. At least not yet. But she has been thinking about the motivation to quit a lot lately and in this blog Yvonne shares what she has discovered.
First some credit, much of the info in this has been lifted from the amazing A Slight Change of Plans podcast interview with the incredible poker player and psychologist Annie Duke. Annie and the host, Maya Shankar, discuss the psychology behind quitting and the importance of thinking about quitting well, quitting early and deciding to quit.
From a researcher’s point of view this is going to have two important bearings on what we do. First, it’s going to play a role in how we decide the path of our science, both the day-to-day experiments and the big picture stuff. And second, it’s going to play a role in how we decide the path of our careers... listen to learn more.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-quitting/
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Dr Yvonne Couch is an Alzheimer's Research UK Fellow at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne has joined the team of staff bloggers at Dementia Researcher, and will be writing about her work and life as she takes a new road into independent research.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk

Masha Burelo - Pesticides in Cannabis

Masha Burelo narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
Masha Burelo, PhD Student from University of Aberdeen is back with her third blog in the 'from the plant to the lab series'. Masha is now focussed on dementia research, but her pervious work on cannabinoids, is shared through this series and today she writes about some of the risks... Nowadays, the main source of cannabinoids worldwide is cannabis plants, but we forget that cannabis is a crop that undergoes regular management to improve its growth, development, and yield. Many users only get to see the pharmaceutical products, extracts, edibles, or final buds, but have you ever thought about the chemicals used for growing cannabis or to control its pests? And, since we know the main consumption of cannabis is through smoking, could it be transferred into the smoke?
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-pesticides-in-cannabis/
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Masha Burelo is a PhD Student at the University of Aberdeen. Her research explores Electrophysiology and behavioural evaluation in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease. Masha started her studies in veterinary medicine in Mexico and first became interested in cannabinoids when her dog developed epilepsy, then with close family members struck by Alzheimer's Disease her interest in neuroscience, plants and the brain developed.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk

Dr Sam Moxon - Do we need to peer review the process of peer review?

Dr Sam Moxon, narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Sam has previously shared his challenges of living with ulcerative pancolitis, sadly this recently landed him in hospital as an inpatient, and in this blog he shares experiences from his stay - we are sure you join us in wishing him a speedy recovery.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-do-we-need-to-peer-review-the-process-of-peer-review/
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Dr Sam Moxon is a biomaterials scientist at the University of Manchester. His expertise falls on the interface between biology and engineering. His PhD focussed on regenerative medicine and he now works on trying to develop 3D bioprinting techniques with human stem cells, so that we better understand and treat degenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he hikes through the Lake District and is an expert on all things Disney.
Enjoy listening and reading our blogs? We're always on the look out for new contributors, drop us a line and share your own research and careers advice dementiaresearcher@nihr.ac.uk

Dr Anna Volkmer - The making of the clinical academic…the façade is slipping

Dr Anna Volkmer, narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Anna questions how you sustain the Academic element of being a 'Clinical Academic', and how many hours per week justtifies keepin the title? And is it possible to be a commited academic whilst also being a dedicated clinician?
A solid bout of imposter syndrome coming through whilst waiting on Fellowship application decisions...
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-the-making-of-the-clinical-academicthe-facade-is-slipping/
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Dr Anna Volkmer is a Speech and Language Therapist and researcher in Language and Cognition, Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London. Anna is researching Speech and language therapy interventions in language led dementia and was once voted scariest speech and language therapist (even her children agree).
If you would like to write for us, or join out team of regular contributors, drop us a line - dementiaresearcher@nihr.ac.uk