Meet the Graduate Team of CONNECTED: Sangduan Ginggeaw
CONNECTED is an international project enhancing long-term care (LTC) by addressing inequalities through innovative solutions tailored to older adults, caregivers, and staff. Our interdisciplinary team from Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, and the USA is committed to making LTC more inclusive. Though our team is full of talented, and experienced researchers, this effort is powered by our dedicated graduate students, whose roles, backgrounds, and contributions to the project know no bounds.
Welcome to the newest CONNECTED blog series: Meet the Graduate Team of CONNECTED. Where we interview and profile the talented student researchers involved in the CONNECTED project.
In our first post, we are excited to introduce one of our esteemed student researchers, Sangduan Ginggeaw. Sangduan is a Research Assistant, MSN, RN, and a PhD candidate at the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Suzanne Tanoue dos Santos: A Passion for Long-Term Care
Background and Path to CONNECTED
Sangduan's journey to the CONNECTED project is both diverse and impactful. She began her career as a nursing instructor in Thailand before pursuing her PhD at UMass Amherst. Her research has consistently focused on improving care for older adults with chronic conditions. She shared,
"I worked as a nurse instructor in Thailand before I came here to study for a PhD at UMass Amherst. My research focused on self-care and self-management among older adults with multiple chronic conditions in long-term care settings and community settings."
Her international perspective has fueled her interest in understanding the differences in long-term care systems globally, driving her to join the CONNECTED project to further her knowledge and contribute to this vital area of research.
Exciting and Rewarding Aspects of CONNECTED
Sangduan finds several aspects of her work on the CONNECTED project both exciting and rewarding. She values the opportunity to collaborate with international researchers, enhancing her understanding of global long-term care practices. She stated,
"We will get to know many researchers who are experts in long-term care from different countries. It’s a great opportunity for the RA to learn from them."
Additionally, the project complements her dissertation work on palliative and end-of-life care, enriching her academic and practical knowledge in long-term care innovation.
Impact on Long-Term Care Sector
Sangduan is optimistic about the potential impact of the CONNECTED project on the long-term care sector. She believes that by involving participants from various roles within long-term care, the project can foster greater awareness and innovation. She expressed,
"I think that might create awareness or maybe empower them to create more innovation in long-term care settings."
Her insights underscore the transformative potential of the CONNECTED project in driving advancements in care for older adults.
Conclusion
Sangduan Ginggeaw's background, expertise, and dedication are integral to the success of the CONNECTED project. She "believe(s) that (her) experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative research will be useful for the project.". Her contributions not only advance the project's goals but also aim to foster significant improvements in the global long-term care sector.
Stay tuned for more inspiring profiles of our exceptional student researchers in upcoming posts. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the CONNECTED project, please don't hesitate to reach out. We look forward to sharing more about our journey.