The interactive masterclass focused on the importance of person-centred communication to make involvement in research more accessible and meaningful for people living with dementia. Speakers reflected on the challenges that communication changes, traditional involvement practices and fast-paced meetings can present, and shared insights from a co-production project that worked directly with people with dementia and their supporters to address these barriers.
Participants heard about how the project team developed and used inclusive adaptations that supported accessibility throughout the collaboration, and what they learned about creating research partnerships that enable people with dementia to contribute confidently and meaningfully. The session also showcased the outputs created through the project: an animation of 10 Top Communication Tips and a detailed written guide for researchers, both designed to offer practical communication strategies to make involvement more accessible, inclusive and effective.
More information about the Speakers:
Dr Sarah Griffiths is a Senior Dementia Research Fellow at UCL, specialising in communication, co-production and personalised dementia care. Drawing on her background as a speech and language therapist and her leadership across major national dementia research programmes, she brings expertise in inclusive research methods and supporting people with dementia to shape the studies that affect their lives.
Martin Robertson: ‘I was diagnosed with Posterior Cortical Atrophy in 2016 and given three years before I would be in care. I have beaten the odds by immersing myself in co-research which keeps my cognitive reserve high. I use my lived experience prior to my diagnosis to help my work. I used to be a Benefit Fraud Officer so became good at reading body language during taped Interviews. I honed this skill when I went to work in care as a Personal Care Assistant with people who were non-verbal. This experience of care has also shown me the reality of care work and was the most rewarding work I ever did.’
Catch up:
You can find more masterclass videos and additional supporting content on the SPCR YouTube Channel.