Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia

We are an interdisciplinary group of dementia researchers, people with dementia, dementia practitioners and representatives from a range of dementia organisations. We are interested in exploring and developing theories, methods and impact around the experience of living with dementia.

We work across the following core themes:

• Coproduction and participatory research
• Creativity and arts-based approaches, interventions and methods
• Social relationships and friendships, peer support, emotions and counselling
• Living and dying with dementia
• Dementia and design
• Marginalised groups with dementia (including people with intellectual disabilities)
• Working with people who have dementia to understand their experience and possible approaches to impact policy, practice and society

Our aim for the Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (ECRED) is to create international social research and impact that prioritises the experience of dementia and strengthens global understanding of living with dementia. We provide a research and learning environment that creates opportunities for the sharing of knowledge and skills focusing on improving the lived experience of dementia. The perspective of the person with dementia is central to this work. We have a strong and active commitment to interdisciplinary working and many of our current projects include collaborations with researchers, clinicians and practitioners in a range of practice settings, with voluntary sector organisations and with other academics throughout the UK and internationally as well as across disciplines of social work, counselling, the arts, nursing, psychology, philosophy, geography, and social policy.

Projects, people and updates 

bold

bold Scotland is a five-year project and stands for Bringing Out Leaders in Dementia. It is an innovative, creative and interactive social leadership programme for people across Scotland which recognises that across Scotland many people of all ages and from all walks of life, including persons living with dementia, are already taking a lead, making a difference and finding their place in the ‘dementia world'.

The Smarties

The Smarties are a group of lived experience researchers. The group was set up as part of Rose Vincent's doctoral research. Over 8 months (in 2021-2022) The Smarties met to co-produce a piece of research into volunteering in young onset dementia for Rose’s PhD.

The ECREDibles

The ECREDibles are a group of people living with dementia in Scotland who are interested in research. The group offers peer support to share ideas, information and inspiration about research projects, also carrying out their own research with support from groups, partnerships and projects. ECRED are their partner, with the ECREDibles supporting in the co-design and delivery of a range of our research projects.

CREATE Dance for Dementia

CREATE Dance for Dementia is a one-year project seeking to Cocreate a REsearch Agenda To facilitate Equitable Dance for Dementia. We are running a series of research workshops to bring together those living with dementia, carers, researchers and dance organisations to advance our understanding of rights-based ways of working in research on dance for dementia.

INCLUDED

INLCUDED is a 9-month project that explores how we can include people with a more advanced dementia as co-researchers. We will be holding a series of research workshops that bring together people living with dementia, artists, policymakers and other key stakeholders, to explore how we can include people with a more advanced dementia as co-researchers through creative and arts-based methods.

Nigeria-Scotland Arts Exchange

Bringing together those working in the arts and dementia across Scotland and Nigeria to engage in an international knowledge-exchange. Join us for an online event on Tuesday 26th September 2023 to share research and practice.

Counselling People with Dementia

The Counselling People with Dementia (CouPLeD) project involves a phased programme of exploration into the use of counselling to meet the unmet emotional needs of people living with dementia. Our vision is for people with lived experience of dementia to have easy and timely access to counselling to support their mental health as and when they need it.

A Public Inconvenience

Finding solutions which maximize the design and findability of accessible toilets when travelling. The aim is to explore and define the needs of disabled people with a range of impairments to use toilet facilities while travelling.

The 'New Dementia'

Widening Choices for People with Dementia addresses an emerging and substantial issue in relation to suitable housing options for people with dementia who have received an early diagnosis and have been living with dementia for five-plus years.

Thistledown Project

The aim of this research project is to develop practical and ethically sound guidance on the conduct of ethnographic research within a population of individuals who have dementia.

The ECRED blog