Michelle Heward is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow and a member of the Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) at Bournemouth University (BU). She trained as a Sociologist and is interested in inclusive approaches for research using qualitative and mixed methodologies and the delivery of training using innovative methodologies. Her research centres on care and support in later life and for people with dementia, focused on two core areas: innovative workforce development and service delivery; and inclusive and engaging environments. She regularly teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate level and facilitates training sessions for care providers, public engagement events, seminars and workshops.

Michelle is the ADRC Service User and Carer Involvement Lead and an Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Champion. She is passionate about user involvement in research and has experience of involving older people, people with dementia, family carers and other key stakeholders in research. Michelle organises and facilitates the ADRC Virtual Research Coffee Mornings, where researchers and practitioners engage with members of the public socially and to share research.

Michelle is the Co-Chair of the BU Research Staff Association, a BU Research Staff Representative, and a UK Research Staff Association Representative (South of England). She is keen to promote positive research culture at BU and ensure that researchers are aware of the Research Concordat, have opportunities to disseminate their work, discuss career opportunities, and feedback about their experiences of working at BU: https://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/researcher-toolbox/bu-research-staff-association/

Prior to joining Bournemouth University, Michelle completed an interdisciplinary Doctoral study focused on the role of technology in supporting mobility and independence in later life funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council at the University of Southampton. She was a Research Assistant at the University of Southampton working on a project exploring drug and alcohol use amongst children and young people. Michelle also held a Community Engagement role for the Fire Service, where she gained experience of public engagement methodologies, partnership working and data sharing practices.

Michelle is happy to supervise post-graduate students within her area of expertise.

Research

Michelle’s research focuses on care and support in later life. Current studies and areas of interest include:

1. Innovative workforce development and service delivery

This area of research focuses on evaluating the impact on practice of innovative interventions designed to educate staff and improve the delivery of care and support for older people.

- Michelle is currently leading the evaluation of the ‘Dementia Education And Learning Through Simulation 2’ (DEALTS 2) programme, which Bournemouth University were commissioned by Health Education England (HEE) to develop. The simulation approach enables staff to consider experiences from the point of view of a person living with dementia. The team hypothesize that this will enable staff to make positive changes to how they care and support people with dementia https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/projects/developing-dementia-education-training

- Previously Michelle received funding from Dorset County Council to undertake research to map fire risks and prevention strategies for people affected by dementia and develop guidance to enhance knowledge of best practice with this group. This led to the development of a bespoke education toolkit for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service to support staff in identifying signs of dementia and best practice to promote fire safety with people with dementia.

- Michelle was also involved in an evaluation of the Acute Care Development Programme funded by Wessex Academic Health Sciences Network. The aim of the project, which was delivered across eight hospitals in Wessex, was to evaluate the barriers and enablers staff experienced in implementing the interventions and whether the programme made a difference to patients with dementia and their family members in the participating hospitals.

2. Inclusive and engaging environments

Building on Michelle’s PhD research, this area of research promotes older people’s inclusion and engagement in communities.

- Michelle is currently leading a project ‘Minimising disorientation in care homes: Experiences of care home staff’ funded by the Bournemouth University Early Career Researcher Network Acorn Fund. Care home environments that facilitate spatial orientation and wayfinding can contribute to resident and staff well-being and quality of life. The objective of this exploratory study is to contribute to a knowledge gap by exploring care home managers’ experiences of supporting the orientation and navigation of residents living with dementia.

- Previously Michelle was involved in the evaluation of an inter-agency project where seven dementia-friendly communities were developed by steering group partners and project workers funded by National Health Service England. The progress of each locality was measured against an Alzheimer’s Society framework which provides ten areas of focus for dementia-friendly communities.

- Michelle’s PhD thesis examined the role of information and communication technology in supporting mobility and independence in later life funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Through an interdisciplinary qualitative approach, her research highlights the importance of mobility in maintaining independence in later life, whilst recognising the heterogeneity of older people by demonstrating a variety of attitudes, experiences and perceptions towards travel behaviour and information and communication technology in later life. Her thesis argues that through the facilitation of virtual mobility, technology can offer older people an important alternative to physical mobility and should be explored in policies aimed at supporting older people’s well-being and social inclusion.

Publications

Grants

Outreach & engagement