Dementia Studies MSc

Bangor University

Students on the MSc Dementia studies will benefit from studying in a School of Healthcare Sciences that is highly ranked for its research in general and in particular for its research into people living with Dementia. This research is focused in the Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) and throughout the course students will be exposed to practical and theoretical innovations, many of which originated in the DSDC at Bangor.

The programme builds upon existing theoretical perspectives and research evidence underpinning applied health and social care practice in the field of dementia care. It critically examines current theory, practice and policy in order to advance appropriate approaches to dementia care from the disciplines of mental health, health and social care management. The course seeks to develop a framework for students to engage in active person- and familycentred care of people with dementia across diverse acute and community settings. It positions assessment, care planning and interventions as strategies that respond to the complexity of dementia as a lived experience, including attention to bilingual therapeutic interventions in order to develop excellence in service delivery.

Students wishing to can exit the programme after achieving either a PG Certificate or PG Diploma if they don’t wish to undertake the full MSc giving students flexibility in the duration and depth of their course.

Dementia Services Development Centre

The Dementia Services Development Centre, also known as DSDC, was founded in 1999. In collaboration with Cardiff & Vale UHB, DSDC Wales is one of a network of centres in the DSDC Network throughout the British Isles which conduct research and promote service development and training in the field of dementia care.

Research is conducted on a local and national level within Wales with the research centre in Bangor being the lead for the Wales Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network (NEURODEM Cymru). DSDC Wales also collaborates with research networks in the UK and internationally and is a core part of the Bangor Institute of Health and Medical Research (BIHMR). The primary aim of the DSDC is to improve the quality of life and well-being of older people and people with dementia and their supporters, through carrying out and applying relevant research. In achieving this impact, the DSDC works closely with a variety of organisations and agencies, both statutory and independent. The DSDC is committed to working with all those who strive to improve the quality of services for people with dementia and their supporters in Wales

DSDC is active across a wide range of ageing and dementia research activities and these can be broadly categorised (i) dementia care (including Alzheimer’s disease, family care-giving and psychosocial interventions); (ii) gerontology; and (iii) well-being and resilience across the life-span.