Dementia: Creative Research Seminar Series

The University of the West of Scotland, School of Health and Life Sciences, Division of Mental Health and Integrated practice, Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice and Alzheimer Scotland present a series of unique winter seminars and workshops exploring creativity and the arts in dementia research.

All are welcome and every effort will be made to ensure the seminars and workshops are friendly and inclusive.

What is involved?

• Three exciting seminars and workshops held over the winter in November and December 2020, and January 2021.
• Each event will feature a late morning seminar about the different ways in which arts/creative approaches are being used in research with people with dementia followed by an interactive, friendly workshop.
• The workshop will explore the theme of the seminar - all we will require is your unique presence and way of looking at the world! You can partake as much or as little as you like, depending upon how you feel on the day.
• As this is an online event, access to the internet will be needed, as will items from around your home, your voice, your own body/movement (should you wish to use them).

The events will take place on the following dates:

Thursday 26^th November 2020: “The Thing” with Angela Gregory

An author called Robert Stake describes the aim and perspective of any research project as ‘The Thing’. Angela will use this metaphor as a vehicle to explain how she is using her creativity to plan the research, form ideas and carry out the study. There will be opportunities for the audience to contribute throughout.

After the seminar and a break, you will be invited to a workshop offering the opportunity to explore and create your own ‘Thing’ in response to the seminar using items you have readily available at home. 

Thursday 17^th December 2020: “The Circle of Life” with Liv McLennan 

Liv is a community musician and part-time doctoral student at Guildhall School of Music and Drama doing practice research in intergenerational music-making in care homes. In the seminar, she will present her research to date; the context, research methods and emerging findings and consider future directions for both her practice and research. She is supervised by Dr Stuart Wood, Dr Alex Mermikides and Dr Jo Gibson.

Thursday 21^st January 2021: “Do You See What I See” with Carol Beckwith 

Carol’s research will focus on demonstrating the value of song-writing and creative practice as narrative, and in how it can be applied as a vehicle to generate knowledge and foster better understanding of the experience of young onset dementia carers.

Saunders, et al. 2015 discuss how difficult experiences and thoughts can be mediated through creative practice and how they can help people to ‘say the unsayable’ by giving shape and voice to those thoughts, feelings and experiences.  This session will explore these themes.

On the above dates, the seminars will run from 11am – 12pm, followed by the workshops which will run from 1pm – 2pm.

You are welcome to attend either the seminars or workshops, or both – pick and choose as you please!

All of the seminars will be held online and joining instructions will be sent to you ahead of each event.

The seminars and workshops are free to attend but registration is essential to secure your place.

Once you have signed up you will receive confirmation of registration and further information closer to the event date.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact us at cpd@uws.ac.uk.