Our blogs cover a whole range of topics, to help early career dementia researchers (ECRs). Our contributors share information about their research, from social care to basic science, share advice from their own experiences, careers tips, what they learned from recent training events and conferences and much more. We have a small team of ECR staff bloggers who write each month, on a whole range of topics and every year we add more people who discuss their experiences of studying at particular places or on different topics. In addition to our staff bloggers, we welcome one-off contributions, and curate and link to content from other great sources, including our charity partners, the LSE Impact Blog, Nature Careers and where ever great support can be found.
To help find what you're looking for, you can browse through the articles, or use the filters on the right to find blogs by a particular person, or on a particular topic.
We are always on the lookout for new contributors, so if you would like to write for us, just head to the forum to drop us a line, or email dementiaresearcher@nihr.ac.uk
All of our blogs (since April 2020) come with narrations from the writer. You can listen while you read along on our website, or enjoy our blogs on the move via your podcast app. You can subscribe to our narrated blogs in your podcasts app, look for Dementia Researcher Blogs, or visit one of these platforms, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify and Goodpods.
Guest Blog – Goodbye 2019, hello new decade and more dementia research!
From Lebkuchen to lab visits, Dr Clarissa Giebel reflects on 2019’s milestones in dementia care research and looks ahead to global collaborations in 2020.
Guest Blog – Getting ready for my PhD roller coaster ride
PhD life is a roller coaster. Ester Bellavia reflects on fear, growth, self-kindness and learning to take control, one twist and turn at a time.
Blog – How do you report your PPI in dementia research? Meet GRIPP2
Research is significantly enhanced and enriched using a public participatory approach. Dr Aida Suarez-Gonzalez discusses how to report PPI
Blog – Curious, innovative, empowering drive to DEEP change
Ester Bellavia discussed her recent engagement with people from the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP for short).
Blog – Preventative Neurology Unit Symposium, QMUL
Phazha Bothongo shares a highlights, news and updates from the Queen Mary University of London Preventative Neurology Unit Symposium
Blog – Setting up a dementia and ageing network
From little local connection to a thriving forum: one researcher’s effort to grow dementia and ageing network in Liverpool uniting researchers & clinicians
Blog – Creating Zines for the Neighbourhoods: Our People, Our Places Study
Domenique Brouwers shares how visual metaphors & co-creation with people living with dementia brought research stories to life in the Neighbourhoods study
Blog – Bridging Research and Empathy
Ester Bellavia, inspired by The Good Place & a chance meeting with Chris Roberts, this blog explores how trust and empathy reshape dementia research involvement
Blog – PhD to Postdoc transition
Dr Katie Askew discussed her experience of not only transitioning from PhD to Postdoc, but also a new labs and new city - sharing tips and advice
Blog – Cultivating a research culture in the NHS
Can the research culture inside the NHS be improved? What role can non clinicians play? Blog from Anna Vollkmer discussing research culture inside the NHS
Blog – Catch-up on the 29th Alzheimer’s Europe Conference
Ester Bellavia shares her first experience at the 29th Alzheimer’s Europe Conference in The Hague, exploring research, connections, and involvement in dementia.
Blog – Managing Anxiety (For Stress Awareness Week)
Amy Kizildagli explores anxiety during Stress Awareness Week, sharing insights, practical tips, and how yoga and Pilates can help manage anxious thoughts.
Blog – Slicing up your thesis for publication
Kellyn Lee reflects on the challenge of turning her PhD thesis into journal articles, sharing struggles, lessons, and how planning helped her progress.
Blog – You’ve passed your PhD, now what?
Guest blog from Dr Emily Oliver who recently completed her NIHR Clinical Academic Doctorate at the University of Southampton. Discussing her thoughts on how handle completion and what comes next.
Blog – My PhD plans and improving care
James Watson, PhD student at the University of Liverpool, explores how geography and inequality affect dementia care pathways and outcomes for older populations
Blog – Knowledge Exchange between Liverpool and Maastricht
Blog from Clarissa Giebel, sharing news from her recent visit exchange visit to Maastricht University to catch up on recruitment, and all things study-related.
Blog – Meeting of minds: Qualitative Research in Dementia
Anna Volkmer - sharing further info from last weeks 1st meeting of a group of researchers all interested in using qualitative research methods with people with communication difficulties and dementia.
Blog – Preparing for your Viva Voce Examination
New blog from Naomi Gallant - having just gone through the Viva, Naomi shares some snippets from her own experience which we hope may help you along the way. Adding to this weeks Viva theme.
Blog – Singing and dancing with people with dementia
Blog from Clarissa Giebel, discussing new dementia care services and how researchers can support service evaluation, and don't always have to lead the development of interventions.
Blog – Alzheimer’s Research UK Scotland Network: Growing Dementia Research in Glasgow
New blog from Dr Fiona Kerr, and Dr Lorraine Work sharing news from the recent ARUK Scotland network meeting.
Blog – Consenting study participants in dementia research
New blog from Anna Volkmer - tips and hints and guidance (and how to use them) for anyone attempting to produce an information or consent form for their study.
Blog – ARUK North-West Network ECR Day
New blog from Jo Sharpe - sharing news from the recent Alzheimer's Research UK Network day in Manchester.
Blog – The Reading University ARUK Dementia Research Day 2019
New blog from Anne-Marie Greenaway - sharing her key take-aways from the recent Alzheimer's Research UK Network day in Reading.
Blog – International collaboration: Managing primary progressive aphasia
New blog from Anna Volkmer - An international collaboration: Spreading the word on speech and language therapy approaches to managing primary progressive aphasia.
Blog – Health inequalities in dementia care – Knowledge Exchange
Blog from Dr Clarissa Giebel, sharing feedback from a recent knowledge exchange trip between Maastricht & Liverpool addressing health inequalities in dementia care
Blog – Co-Production Week #CoProWeek
Blog by Ester Bellavia, PhD student from Newcastle, discussing #CoProWeek and how share uses co-production in her own dementia research.
Blog – Qualitative research methods in dementia: how does conversation analysis help?
Monthly blog from Anna Volkmer, from University College London, discussing her research, work and getting through her PhD.
Blog – Don’t just see, observe.
Dr Josie Fullerton shares her insights from behind the scenes of the ARUK grant review board, with helpful tips for writing your next grant application.
Blog – Thoughts on the The Australian Dementia Forum (ADF)
Blog from first time contributor Katherine Lawler, Lecturer in Dementia Studies at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Australia. Sharing her thoughts and news from the recent annual Australian Dementia Forum (ADF) meeting.
Blog – Shaping young onset dementia support by involving the public
Blog from Dr Clarissa Giebel, discussing her work at the NIHR CLAHRC in the North West, engaging people with Young-onset Dementia and sharing the outputs of earlier research.
Blog – Preparing for conference attendance – right from the start of a project!
Blog from Anna Volkmer, from University College London, discussing her conference and talk preparations.
Blog – Scientist Media Training
Dr Aida Suarez-Gonzalez shares her experience and tips from her recent ESRC funded media training with Inside Edge Media.
Blog – PhD Student Reflections on the Alzheimer’s Society Annual Conference 2019
Blog from Katie Gambier-Ross reflecting on last weeks Alzheimer's Society Conference at the Kia Oval in London.
Blog – Interviewing people with dementia
Blog by Sarah Griffiths discussing her experience of qualitative research interviews with people living with dementia. Sharing advise and tips for others who may need to do the same.
Blog – Mental capacity & consent in dementia research
Blog by Victoria Shepherd from Cardiff University discussing dementia research and the exclusion of people with cognitive impairment
Blog – My experiences of applying for my fellowship.
Anna Volkmer, discussing her experience of successfully applying for a fellowship from the NIHR - sharing tips that could help you get NIHR Funding
Guest Blog – Retaining research study participants
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, talking about her experience of finding and retaining dementia research study participants.
Blog – People with dementia are still able to engage in daily tasks – so let’s stop doing everything for them
Blog from Dr Clarissa Giebel, exploring the fine balance between caring, helping, empowering and disempowering people with living with dementia.
Blog – Dissemination: Building up to a podcast
Anna Volkmer, talks about her experience of podcasting with Dementia Researcher. How could podcasting help you reach more people?
Blog – Early career reflections on writing grant applications
New Blog from Dr Holly Walton, sharing tips from what she leaned from the UCL ThinkWrite grant writing workshop for Early Career Researchers.
Blog – National Dementia Strategies across Europe – who has one?
Blog from Dr Clarissa Giebel, what can countries learn from each other? Discussing National Dementia Strategies from across Europe
Blog – Why to say YES to podcasts
New Blog from Yvette Vermeer, talking about her experience of podcasting with the NIHR Dementia Researcher website. Would you like to talk about your work?
Blog – The Thesis: Sitting on the edge of the precipice looking into the abyss
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, sharing a few tips and hints that seemed small but have really helped her on route through her PhD.
Blog – Social activities are key to a good quality of life
Blog from Dr Clarissa Giebel, discussing Social Prescribing - It’s not only tablets that can make you feel better
Blog – Presenting to clinicians versus academics
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, discusses how her presentation style has developed, and provides her tips and advice for impactful presentations
Blog – When will we know more about dementia?
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, Reflecting on what we do and don't know as we start 2019, and what more can and should be done.
Blog – ICFTD 2018 in Sydney
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, Cutting to the good stuff - 10 great things about this years ICFTD Conference from Sydney, Australia
Blog – Leaping Across the Pond
Guest Blog from Dr Robert Andrew, Post-doctoral Researcher at The University of Chicago - sharing his story of how he went from UK to the USA, with advise for others who may want to follow.
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