At the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, a new education project is transforming how future health professionals learn about dementia—by putting the voices of people living with the condition at the centre of the curriculum.
Led by Wicking's Associate Director of Learning and Teaching, Associate Professor Alison Canty, the project captures the lived experiences of people with dementia and embeds their stories into university courses and free massive open online courses (MOOCs) accessed by learners around the world.
Funded by the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Society and Global Brain Health Institute, the initiative challenges traditional, textbook-driven teaching approaches and replaces them with deeply human perspectives.
“Instead of only learning about dementia through drugs, diagnoses and clinical visits, students are learning directly from people who are living it every day,” Dr Canty said.
“That changes everything.”
Through a series of empathy driven video interviews, participants share what daily life with dementia looks like—the challenges, the changes over time, and the moments of joy and resilience that persist after diagnosis. The recordings allow students to engage with experiences that would otherwise be difficult or distressing for people with dementia to share in a classroom setting.
“The impact on learners has been profound. Students report stronger empathy, deeper understanding and a clearer sense that dementia is not simply a terminal diagnosis, but a condition compatible with a meaningful life and relationships,” Dr Canty said.
“One medical student described the experience as “life‑changing” and something that would influence their practice throughout their career.”
Importantly, the project follows participants over time, creating a rare longitudinal teaching resource that shows how dementia unfolds differently for every individual. Educators now use the stories across interprofessional learning activities, encouraging future clinicians, carers and allied health professionals to consider care from the person’s perspective.
For Dr Canty, the success of the project underscores a simple truth: “If we want better care in the future, we need better education now—and that means learning from the people who know dementia best.”
In 2025, Dr Canty received the University’s Vice-Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Award. The recognition reflects her innovative approaches to learning and teaching, distinguished by accessibility, empathy and evidence-based practice. This approach enables learners to translate knowledge into person-centred care.
Dr Canty has pioneered innovative approaches, including digital storytelling and laboratory-based video resources, to make complex neuroscience engaging and relevant.