معرفی
Teresa Atkinson is a Senior Research Fellow at the Association for Dementia Studies within the School of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Worcester. With over 20 years of experience in social research, she specializes in qualitative methodologies to explore lived experiences of people affected by cognitive impairment across the lifespan and improve quality of life through inclusive research practices.
Her educational background includes:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education
- MSc Clinical Neuropsychiatry (dissertation on parenting a child with foetal alcohol syndrome)
- BSc (Hons) Psychology
- Post Graduate Certificate in Research Methods
- City and Guilds Certificate in Counselling
Teresa's research focuses on dementia, cognitive impairment, and environmental design for neurological conditions. She excels in co-creating research with marginalized populations to amplify voices of those with communication difficulties. Her work spans dementia-friendly housing, neurodiverse environments, and intergenerational initiatives, with expertise in translating findings into practical tools for care settings.
She leads the Post Graduate Certificate in Person Centred Dementia Care and modules MDEM4005 (Enabling Environments) and MDEM4007 (Dementia in Family Context). Teresa provides extensive consultancy to NHS Trusts, housing providers, and care homes on environmental design, including bespoke tools for organizations like the Royal College of Chiropractors, while collaborating with University of Aberystwyth on dementia-violence intersection projects.
