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Website dementiastudies Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester
Closing date: 31st August
University of Worcester invites PhD applicants to explore the role of leisure in supporting social citizenship and wellbeing for people living with dementia.
Discourse about dementia and best practice in addressing its malign outcomes has progressed over the last generation from a purely medicalised lens, through person centred and personhood approaches, to those where the social citizenship of individuals is promoted. This champions the human rights of individuals and an “everyday” approach to citizenship – where what people do and their ability to do the things they wish to do is key. Leisure, the activities and interests people hold that they enjoy and/ or wish to pursue in time outside of obligations such as work and family, is one such phenomenon closely allied to this understanding of social citizenship.
However, the prevailing political and policy environment risks nullifying the opportunity for hope and liberation this paradigm offers. Linked to contemporary concerns for the resourcing of services, significant initiatives, such as a new national strategy for dementia in England and NHS targets for diagnosis, have been shelved. Painful as this is likely to be for people living with dementia and their families, the blow back is felt almost as acutely by practitioners and planners of services, as they endeavour to align provision to support people to live well. For example, colleagues offering social prescribing and activities coordinators based within residential care homes.
Thus, more needs to be known about leisure in the context of life with dementia, and now is the moment to make these enquiries
Supervisory team
- Director of Studies: Dr Chris Russell
- Supervisors: Dr Ruby Swift
- External Advisor: Dr Tania Wiseman (Associate Professor Occupational Therapy, University of Swansea)
- Research Group: Association for Dementia Studies
Find out more here https://www.worc.ac.uk/documents/phd-projects-March-2025/ADS-what-role-can-leisure-play.pdf
Application Process
To begin the application process please go to: https://www.worc.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/applying-for-a-phd/.
The Interview
All successful applicants will be offered an interview with the proposed Supervisory Team. You will be contacted by a member of the Doctoral School Team to find a suitable date. Interviews can be conducted in person or over Microsoft Teams.
Funding your PhD
For information about Doctoral Loans please visit: https://www.worc.ac.uk/study/feesand-finance/doctoral-loans.aspx
During your PhD you can access the Research Conference Support Scheme to support the costs of presenting your research at an external conference.
For further information or an informal discussion about this project, please contact Dr Chris Russell: c.russell@worc.ac.uk
To apply for this job please visit www.worc.ac.uk.
