Portrait of Dr Rasa Mikelyte

Dr Rasa Mikelyte

She/Her

Research Fellow
PhD, PCert, MSc, BSc (Hons)

About

I have joined CHSS in 2017 as a Research Assistant and have loved working here since! I am also a Post-Doctoral Dementia Research Fellow with the Applied Research Collaboration – Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

I have a PhD in Social Policy, an MSc in Social and Applied Psychology, BSc degree in Applied Psychology with Clinical Psychology and a Postgraduate Certificate in Methods of Social Research; all at the University of Kent.

My professional background is in work with people living with dementia. I have continued a part-time role as a dementia care worker for 14 years and have previously worked as an Assistant Psychologist for Older Adult Psychological Services (NHS)

I am a co-chair of the University of Kent LGBTQ+ Staff Network and a University Mental Health Ally.

Research interests

- dementia care and policy
- adult social care
- care provision in care/nursing homes
- palliative/end-of-life care
- ageing
- arts for dementia
- mental health in later life
- sexuality in later life

Current Research

I am currently co-leading a research project on Personalising Domiciliary Dementia Care, which aims to improve dementia care in the home by designing a digital platform that (1) matches the preferences of people living with dementia, their family/friend supporters and care providers and (2) enables ‘live’, needs-informed rostering – the process of creating schedules for care workers and clients (Sep 2024 – Mar 2026; co-funded by NIHR and the Alzheimer’s Society)

I am also:

  • Working on a post-doctoral research fellowship on a seamless dementia care experience (Feb 2023 – Mar 2026; co-funded by NIHR and the Alzheimer’s Society)
  • A co-applicant and core team member for the Kent Research Partnership, one of six capacity building social care partnerships (Jun 2021 – May 2025; funded by NIHR) 

Past Research Projects

In the past, I have led:

 

I have also been part of the following projects:

  • ASCOT-ER study, which adapted the Easy Read Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit for older social care users who need additional support to self-report (Led by Prof Ann-Marie Towers, May 2022 – Apr 2024; funded by NIHR)
  • In search of a good death: What would a good death in dementia look like? A qualitative study comparing views of people with dementia in Brazil & UK‘. The collaboration includes Dr Edison Iglesias de Oliveira Vidal (Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil), Dr Francelise Pivetta Roque (Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil), Dr Deborah Oliveira (Inter-American Development Bank), Dr Natashe Lemos Dekker (Leiden University, Netherlands) and Dr Karen Harrison Dening (Dementia UK) 
  • Optimum ‘Hospice at Home’ Services for End of Life Care (a national portfolio study led by Prof Claire Butler; Nov 2016 – Mar 2021; funded by NIHR).
  • The New Models of Care Vanguard Programme in England (a national programme evaluation led by Prof Kath Checkland (Manchester University); Jun 2017 – May 2021; funded by NHSE)
  • The implementation of virtual consultations for patients accessing NHS psychological interventions: A mixed-methods evaluation to understand what works, for whom and in what circumstances. (Local evaluation led by Dr Sarah Hotham (CHSS) and Dr James Osborne (KMPT); funded by Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, Jan 2020 – Mar 2021)
  • Innovate: optimising the depression pathway through novel digital assessment technology (Led by Prof Jenny Billings, Jan 2019 – Dec 2020; funded by Innovate UK)
  • Enhancing Trans Awareness in Social Work Education and Training (Led by Dr Sweta Rajan-Rankin, project funded by the Faculty of Social Sciences Learning & Teaching Enhancement Fund; Aug 2019 – Dec 2020)
  • The contribution of Multidisciplinary Meetings (MDMs) towards improving patient outcomes and preventing the need for health and social care support: A mixed-methods evaluation employing an implementation science approach (a local evaluation project led by Dr Sarah Hotham; Dec 2017 – Mar 2018; funded by a South London STP)
  • Evaluation of service user-led role play feedback for social work students (collaboration with Dr Eleni Skoura-Kirk and Sarah Brown, funded by the Learning & Teaching Enhancement Fund)
  • Evaluating ‘Rosie’: Virtual Reality in Practitioner Empathy Building for Child Protection (collaboration with Tracee Green (Centre for Child Protection) and Sarah Brown (Social Work), unfunded)
  • Evaluation of the Acute Response Team Service (a local evaluation project led by Dr Julie MacInnes; Oct 2017 – Dec 2018; funded by a local CCG)
  • Exploration of the Factors Influencing Opioid Prescribing as Regular Pain- Management Medication for Older People (a local project, funded by an RCGP grant, Jan 2018 – Aug 2018)
  • Service Evaluation of the Encompass Community Hub Operating Centres (local Vanguard study led by Prof Jenny Billings; funded by Encompass Vanguard; Feb 2017 – Jun 2018)
  • Utilisaton of ‘Carers Star’ as Indicator of Carer Need and Carers FIRST Service Impact (Local Project led by Prof Alisoun Milne, funded by a faculty grant; Aug 2017 – Sep 2018)
  • Evaluation of the Kent & Medway One Care Pilot (local project led by Prof Jenny Billings, funded by a local NHS trust, Jul 2016 – Jan 2017).

Supervision

I welcome interest from postgraduate (PhD and Masters) students in areas broadly matching my research interests and experience.

Current PhD supervisees:

 

Current mentees under the Kent Research Partnership‘s Training and Research Fellowships:

Professional

I am a trustee for Bright Shadow Dementia Arts Charity

Publications

Last updated 24 November 2024