Researching together : involving people living with dementia as co-researchers

Swarbrick, Caroline and Group, The Scottish Dementia Working (2016) Researching together : involving people living with dementia as co-researchers. In: UNSPECIFIED.

Abstract

Historically, the involvement of people living with dementia in research has predominantly focused on involvement as ‘participants’. In the ESRC/NIHR-funded (2014-2019) Neighbourhoods and Dementia Research Study (led by The University of Manchester), people living with dementia are involved as co-researchers across the Study’s eight work programmes and are currently designing and undertaking their own research projects. We are currently working alongside four groups of people living with dementia: EDUCATE from Stockport, Greater Manchester; Open Doors from Salford, Greater Manchester; Salford INSPIRE from Salford, Greater Manchester and; the Scottish Dementia Working Group (SDWG), who are based in Glasgow. This presentation will outline the development of a ‘Co-researcher Involvement and Engagement Model’, which was co-produced by the groups. The model illustrates a variety of ways in which people living with dementia within the groups would like to contribute to each of the work programmes for the duration of the Study.