Claudia Salgado

Claudia's Story

Architect Claudia Salgado – Vice President of Design at Amica Mature Lifestyles, the leading operator of high-end retirement living in Canada – chose to study at Stirling after learning it is a leader in the field of Dementia Studies.

With her company venturing into dementia care, Claudia, from Toronto, travelled to Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre to research how the built environment can affect those with the condition. It was on this trip that she decided to embark upon a distance learning course with the University.

“I became aware of the educational programmes that were available and was delighted to learn that they were available through distance learning. I joined the programme a couple of months after my visit,” Claudia said. “It was apparent that Stirling was a leader in the field of dementia studies.”

Claudia was impressed with the level of support she received over the duration of her three-year course. She said: “Through technology, great professors and tutors, group discussions and challenging assignments, I was able to discover a whole new world of knowledge.”

Completing the course was a poignant moment for Claudia, who lost her mother to Alzheimer’s. She explained: “I felt that by furthering my understanding of how I would be able to advance my practice, and design better environments for people with dementia, I was honouring her memory.”

Claudia, who has now begun a PhD at Stirling, added: “The Masters degree only helped me realise how much more there is to know and discover.”