"PhD Studentship - Personalised Digital Avatars for Inclusive Carer Training in Nottinghamshire Care Homes"

About The Project

Caring for people living with dementia can be emotionally and physically demanding, especially when carers are unfamiliar with the specific challenges of the individuals they support. This research project aims to improve the experience of both carers and residents in Nottinghamshire care homes by developing personalised digital avatars. These avatars will represent realistic dementia care scenarios based on the unique needs and backgrounds of residents in each care home.

The project will work closely with carers, care home staff, residents’ families, and community organisations to co-design these avatars and training experiences. The goal is to create digital tools that help new or incoming carers feel better prepared for the specific behaviours, communication styles, and emotional needs they may encounter before they begin working in a particular care home.

A key focus of this project is ensuring that the avatars reflect a wide range of cultural experiences and ways of expressing dementia, particularly those that may not be well understood in typical Western training models. For example, some residents may show signs of distress or confusion in ways shaped by their language, religion, or cultural background. By recognising and including these variations in avatar scenarios, the project aims to support more inclusive and culturally responsive dementia care.

This research has the potential to improve carer confidence, reduce stress, and lead to more compassionate and effective care for residents living with dementia. It also aims to give voice to communities that are often underrepresented in both research and care training. By grounding the work in the lived experiences of Nottinghamshire’s diverse care communities, the project will contribute to more equitable, empathetic, and high-quality care across the region.

This project has been co-created with and is supported by researchers from University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and partners at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust. The successful candidate for this project will be enrolled at University of Nottingham.

Project Aims

The overall aims of the project are:

• To explore how carers in Nottinghamshire experience preparedness and support when caring for people living with dementia in care homes.
• To co-design culturally responsive digital avatars that reflect the lived experiences and behavioural expressions of dementia among residents from diverse backgrounds.
• To investigate how culturally tailored training tools can improve carer confidence, reduce stress, and enhance care quality.
• To examine the potential of digital avatars to represent non-Western expressions of dementia-related behaviours and communication challenges.

For further information contact the Academic Co-Supervisor: Dr Shreyank Narayana Gowda (University of Nottingham)

Deadline for application: 30th November, 2025.