Dr Claire Craig: Sharing practice in Switzerland

Dr Claire Craig was recently invited to ZHAW Institute in Switzerland to implement a module focusing on design and innovative approaches to healthcare. This is the eighth year that Claire has contributed to curriculum innovation and this module focuses on potential new and emerging areas of practice for the occupational therapy workforce in Switzerland. Students had the opportunity to learn about the role of design and to build understanding of an intervention designed in partnership with people with dementia.

Claire reflected on the experience in the following way: ‘As someone who is passionate about design, occupational therapy and health I consider it a real privilege to work with colleagues all over the globe. Recognising these students as colleagues and as the future workforce who will implement the cutting edge research we are developing is absolutely key to ensuring that the work lives on and has as wide an impact as possible.  This is always a reciprocal process. I may share the research but I always come away with new insights, learning and ideas in relation to where next.’

Claire Craig is Reader in Design and Creative Practice in Health in the Art & Design Research Centre (ADRC) and Co-Director of the interdisciplinary research group Lab4Living. Claire’s research focusses on the role of creative practices in improving quality of life and well-being for people living with dementia.