Personal Statement
I am a post-doctoral researcher with a focus on dementia research, health inequalities and public health. I started my postdoctoral research at the University of Liverpool in January 2023, working alongside Dr Clarissa Giebel, Dr Kerry Hanna and Prof Carol Holland. I am a member of the Liverpool Dementia & Ageing Research Forum which brings together brings together professionals and lived experts to advance our understanding of improving care for dementia and ageing. I am a linking pin in the newly established North West Coast Living Lab in Ageing & Dementia which aims to bring together researchers and social care organisations in ageing and dementia and jointly develop research opportunities and improve knowledge and skills. I am also a member of the Centre for Ageing Research which aims to promote and conduct high-quality interdisciplinary research concerning ageing throughout Lancaster University

Research Overview

I have recently been awarded a 2-year research fellowship funded by the NIHR and the Alzheimer’s Society, allowing me to examine singing and dancing support services and their impacts on people living with dementia and their carers. Working alongside Dr Clarissa Giebel, Dr Kerry Hanna, Prof Carol Holland and in collaboration with The Brain Charity and Lyrics and Lunch, we will examine the effects of these services on mood, quality of life, cognition and social isolation for people living with dementia. We hope to use the findings from this research project to create recommendations for the future delivery of effective singing and dancing groups for people living with dementia. We hope that our research will help improve access to these extremely beneficial support services and emphasise the positive impact of singing and dancing groups for people living with dementia and their carers.