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Dr. Ana Barbosa

Senior Research Fellow

Area
Centre for Digital Innovations in H&SC
Language
Portuguese
Spanish
English
E-mail
A.Barbosa@bradford.ac.uk
Phone
+441274236668
Dr. Ana Barbosa

Biography

I joined the Centre for Digital Innovations in Health and Social Care in August 2025 as a Senior Research Fellow.

I hold a PhD in Gerontology and Geriatrics. My research spans a broad range of interests, including supporting the care workforce, enhancing person-centred care, and exploring how technology can improve outcomes for  those working for or receiving health and social care services.

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

Research

  • Person-centred care
  • Care workforce
  • Co-design technology
  • Dementia
      

Research projects

AtTrack- Using eye tracking to evaluate attention in people with dementia

Date
to
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.

Evaluating the impact of the Love to Move programme

Date
to
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.

Testing the acceptance of a game to screen dementia

Date
to
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.

Design for Dementia - Evaluating the acceptability and usability of a technology aiming to support diagnosis of dementia

Date
to
Role
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.

CoDeC - Coronavirus and Dementia in Care Homes

Date
to
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

Through the eyes of dementia - A short video on Posterior Cortical Atrophy

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to
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. Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydufqvhn1JY

Back to Bradford: An immersive experience

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to
Role
PI

Reminiscence activities are known to improve mood, social engagement, and wellbeing in people with dementia. However, the use of immersive technologies for this purpose has not been widely studied. This project aims to use real-world digital projection, with participants stepping into an immersive environment to explore the experiences, challenges, and associated needs of people living with dementia.

CREATE – Creative Expression and Art for Dementia

Date
to
Role
PI

This project enables people with dementia to share their experiences through creative activities. Participants will create various forms of artwork—such as photography, drawings, stories or poems—based on the theme “What brings you joy in Bradford/where you live?”. Their creations will be showcased along a walking lane at the University of Bradford during Dementia Action Week in May, allowing the public to engage with the artworks and challenge misconceptions about dementia.

Teaching

PhD - Primary supervisor 

Vidhya Kaleeswaran. Assessing South Indian Nurses' Knowledge and Skills in Caring for Patients with Dementia in the UK (2024-2028)

Beulah Shadrache. Dementia stigma in South Africa (2022-2026) 

JiaYen Eng. Facilitating Personhood in Care staff and how this impacts on care delivery for people with dementia in care institutions (2019-2026)

Andreia Fonseca Paiva. Improving implementation of Dementia Care Mapping (2021-2025)

PhD- Co-supervisor

James King. Engaging with historic environments through Virtual Reality to promote positive wellbeing among people with Dementia (2023-2027)

Wendy Andrusjak. How can hearing and vision loss be detected and treated in care home residents? (2018-2022)


Modules

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

Professional activities

Awards (1)

  • Outstanding Achiever Award (17 May 2024)

Committees (1)

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

Education (2)

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

Professional associations (2)

  • INTERDEM, Member
  • British Society of Gerontology, Member

Publications

Book (1)

  • Dementia, What Next? A Guide to Providing Sensory Care in Care Homes

    Figueiredo, D., Barbosa, A., & Marques, A. (2016) Lusodidacta.

Case (1)

  • 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)

Conference contribution (12)

  • Palliative and end-of-life care in dementia: a European mapping

    Jean-Bernard Mabire;Ana Barbosa;Emma Wolverson;on behalf of the Interdem Taskforce on palliative and end of life care in dementia (2025) Alzheimer's Europe conference.

  • 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.

Other journal (2)

  • 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.

Other publication (1)

  • 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)

Peer reviewed journal (19)