Dr Rasa Mikelyte
She/Her
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 the last 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 leading a Hospice at Home toolkit project, which aims to design, pilot and evaluate an interactive online toolkit for optimising Hospice at Home care delivery.
I am working on a post-doctoral research fellowship on a seamless dementia care experience.
I am also:
- A co-applicant and core team member for the Kent Research Partnership, one of six capacity building social care partnerships funded by the NIHR Health Services and Delivery (HS&DR) programme in England
- A co-applicant and researcher on the ASCOT-ER study, which aims to adapt the Easy Read Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit for older social care users who need additional support to self-report
- Working on a project titled ‘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)
Past Research Projects
- 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