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Dr. Ana Barbosa

Assistant Professor

Area
Centre for Applied Dementia Studies
Faculty of Health Studies
Language
Portuguese
Spanish
English
E-mail
Phone
Dr. Ana Barbosa

Biography

I joined the Centre for Applied Dementia Studies in September 2015 where I currently work as an Assistant Professor in Dementia Studies. I am the Programme Leader for the PgCert/PgDip/MSc Advanced Dementia Studies and Module Leader for the 'Evaluating dementia practice' and 'Leading change in practice' modules.

My background is in Gerontology and I hold a PhD in Gerontology and Geriatrics. My PhD thesis was entitled Supporting dementia care workers – exploring the effects of a psycho-educational intervention. I have varied research interests - care home workforce, improving person-centred care; technology in dementia care; and living with dementia and other conditions - and have been involved in varied research projects over the years (e.g. Falls in Care Homes (FinCH); Coronavirus and Dementia in Care Homes (CoDeC)). 

I am currently part of the INTERDEM taskforce groups Technology and Dementia and Palliative and End of life care. I'm also chair of their website commitee. 

Within the University I am member of the Humanities, Social and Health Sciences Ethics Committee.

Research

  • Person-centred care
  • Care homes
  • Carers' wellbeing 
  • Dementia workforce training and education
  • Psychosocial and arts-based interventions
  • Technology in dementia 

Research projects

Date
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Role
PI

Work with people with dementia to: i) understand if smart glasses (a device that looks and feels like a normal pair of glasses but that tracks eye movements) can help us measure attention in people with dementia; and ii) understand what people with dementia think about this device.

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Role
Co-I

Longitudinal evaluation of the Love to Move programme. The evaluation ran over a two- year period and included on-going analysis of routinely collected data and some qualitative interviews with a number of participants, families and facilitators.

Date
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Role
PI

Understand the perceptions of people living with dementia and their families regarding the acceptability and useability of an innovative video game aiming to support diagnosis of dementia.

Date
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Co-PI

Understand the experiences, challenges, and needs encountered throughout the dementia diagnostic pathway, as perceived by individuals living with dementia and supporters, of those living with dementia. This data will inform the early design and development of an innovative technology focused toward supporting timely diagnosis of dementia.

Date
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Role
Collaborator

Between July and November 2020, twenty practitioners working in care homes or allied services took part in a series of interviews, focus groups and photovoice exercises in order to communicate their lived experience of the coronavirus pandemic. Three family members of people with dementia who are or were living in care homes during the pandemic also took part as experts by experience. Outputs include a booklet and a verbatim theatre performance

Date
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Role
PI

The research involves the creation of a short film by a person with dementia living with a rare form of dementia (posterior cortical atrophy) with the aim of improving the public’s understanding of the condition and provide valuable insight regarding the support needed.

Teaching

Programme Leader for the PgCert/PgDip/MSc Advanced Dementia Studies.


Modules

  • Leading Change in Practice - DEM7020-E
  • Evaluating Dementia Practice - DEM7026-C

Professional activities

  • Outstanding Achiever Award (17 May 2024)

  • Humanities, Social and Health Sciences (HSHS) Research Ethics Panel,

  • University of Aveiro - PhD
  • University of Aveiro - MSc

  • INTERDEM, Member
  • British Society of Gerontology, Member

Publications

  • Doing Photovoice Research Online: The Experiences of Staff Working in Care Homes for People Living With Dementia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

    Andrea Capstick and Ana Barbosa (2022)

  • Evaluation of the impact of dementia education on student Diagnostic Radiographers’ confidence, knowledge and attitudes towards dementia.

    Berry, E., McNally, C., Mason, C., Barbosa, A., Jones, D. (2024) UK Imaging and Oncology Conference (UKIO), 10-12 June 2024, ACC Liverpool, UK .

  • Design for Dementia: Assessing the acceptability and usability of a new technology to support diagnosis of dementia

    Ana Barbosa;James Wood;Andrew Kadis;Clare Mason;Karen Windle (2024) Alzheimer's Europe conference.

  • Dementia education for Diagnostic Radiographer’s students: Impact on confidence, knowledge, and attitudes towards dementia 

    Ana Barbosa;Ciara Mcnally;Danielle Jones;Clare Mason;Erin Berry (2024) Alzheimer's Europe Conference .

  • Exploring the role of emotional labour in the context of dementia care

    Catherine Quinn;Alex Hillman;Gill Toms (2023) Research methods festival.

  • Evaluation of Love to Move

    Ana Barbosa (2023) Alzheimer's Europe .

  • Use and uptake of technology by people with dementia and their supporters during the COVID pandemic - A rapid review of evidence

    Ana Barbosa, Ana Ferreira Carolien Smitsc, Flora-Marie Hegerath, Horst Vollmar, Lia Fernandes, Michael P. Craven, Anthea Innes; Dympna Casey, Duygu Sezgin; Louise Hopper; Laila Øksnebjerg (2022) Alzheimer Europe Conference.

  • Heroes work here!” – Photographic testimonies from staff working in care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic

    Ana Barbosa, Annette Berdnt, Clare Mason, Giorgia Previdoli and Andrea Capstick (2022) International Practitioner Health Summit 2022: The Wounded Healer.

  • The impact of Covid-19 on the dementia workforce: lessons for social care

    Andrea Capstick, Ana Barbosa, Justin Mazotta, Beulah Shadrache, Clare Mason (2022) International Practitioner Health Summit 2022: The Wounded Healer.

  • Impact of a dementia training on staff competence and confidence to care

    Barbosa, A., Mason, C., Collins, L. (2020) Dementia UK.

  • Everyday technologies and people with dementia - access, use and adaptation

    Barbosa, A., Mountain, G. (2020) Alzheimer's Europe 2020.

  • Teaching partners: Involving people with dementia and families in the evaluation of students' assessment

    Barbosa, A.,Quinn, C., Capstick, A., Jones D. (2019) Alzheimer's Europe 2019.

  • Co-creating and co-delivering dementia education at Bradford: Understanding the me in dementia

    Danielle Jones;Clare Mason;Ian Davies Abbott;Felicity slocombe;Ana Barbosa (2025) Journal of Dementia Care. 22, 20-26.

  • Sense of competence and confidence of care home staff following a dementia training course

    Barbosa, A., Mason, C., Collins, L. (2021) Journal of Dementia Care.

  • Psychosocial interventions to provide spiritual support for people with dementia: A scoping review protocol. Retrieved from osf.io/6epbv

    Burnand, A., Wolverson, E., Backhouse, T., Barbosa, A., Eriksen, S., de Paiva, A. F., … Gijsberts, M.-J. (2024, September 19). (2024)