Harnessing technology to help people living with dementia

From more timely dementia diagnoses to helping people with dementia live more independently, these investments are being announced on the day of the World Dementia Council Summit, which is championing the role of innovation to deliver change through health systems.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “Dementia is one of the biggest challenges to health and social care of our time. This £8 million funding will support researchers across the UK to take on that challenge, harnessing technology to improve the quality of life for those living with the disease.

“Helping people with Dementia to get more timely diagnoses, and to live more independently will help us to move their care from hospitals to communities, a key part of our Plan for Change, and reducing the strain on our economy and the NHS.”

EPSRC dementia technology networks

Four new networks will boost the use and development of novel tools and technologies to enable people with dementia to remain independent at home for longer.

They are being funded by £6 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), in partnership with the charity Alzheimer’s Society.

One team led by the University of Sheffield will develop adaptive technologies to evolve with the changing needs of people living with dementia and their families, from assisting with speech and memory to developing intuitive ways for online and face-to-face socialising.

Another network led by Northumbria University will set up community technology hubs so that people in the North East can get advice and borrow devices to try at home.

Forefront of dementia innovation

Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth said: “Dementia is a cruel and heartbreaking disease, not only for those living with it, but for the families and friends who often watch their loved one become a shadow of the person they once were. Backing these ground breaking technologies won’t just help people with dementia, it’ll transform their lives, giving people the freedom to stay in their own homes, around the people they love.

“Moving care out of hospitals and into communities isn’t just smart healthcare, it’s about giving people independence. Britain will be at the forefront of dementia innovation, backing cutting-edge research and rolling out life-changing technologies that deliver real results for patients and families. This is exactly the bold thinking we need at the heart of our Plan for Change.”

85% of people would want to stay at home if diagnosed with dementia

There are currently around one million people in the UK with dementia. This is projected to rise to 1.4 million people by 2040.

A survey by Alzheimer’s Society (PDF, 2.3MB) revealed that 85% of people said they would want to stay at home for as long as possible if diagnosed with dementia.

The networks will lead research to help people living either at home or in residential settings including private residents, care and nursing homes, sheltered accommodation, and social housing.

The new research aims to support with everyday activities from managing symptoms and health issues to enabling social connections.

The teams will explore how technologies can link up with existing health and social care services. This will help ease burden on the NHS and support the shift towards moving care from hospitals to communities and making better use of technology.

Bringing experts together

Each network will be led by pioneering teams of researchers, developers, engineers, and health and social care professionals.

They will work alongside people living with dementia and carers to ensure their lived experience and changing needs are at the heart of innovations.

The networks will collaborate with a range of partners including:

• The NHS
• Charities such as Alzheimer’s Society, Age UK and Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK)
• Local authorities and councils

Healthier and more fulfilling lives

EPSRC Executive Chair Professor Charlotte Deane said: “Dementia is a major challenge in the UK and globally. As people are living longer, the number of people living with dementia is increasing.

“With most people wishing to remain at home, we are investing in research that could lead to new technologies and innovations that will help keep people safe and independent.

“These networks will bring together a wealth of expertise from across academia, healthcare, charities and, crucially, people with lived experience to find solutions that will lead to healthier and more fulfilling lives for those affected by dementia.”

Network partner Alzheimer’s Society has been funding dementia research and innovations for over 30 years, including world-leading research that has shaped care and support for people with dementia across the UK.

Potential to ease pressure on NHS

Professor Fiona Carragher, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer’s Society said: “One in three people born today will develop dementia in their lifetime. Research will beat dementia, and innovative networks like these will play an important part in helping people living with dementia today, and in the future, live independently for longer.

“As well as exploring ways to make daily life easier, and helping people with dementia feel more connected, they have the potential to ease pressure on the NHS. This could improve care for everyone as more people with dementia will be able to remain independent and cared for in the community for longer.

“As technology develops at pace, it’s critical we harness it, using AI, digital health, and community support to create simple, effective solutions. We’re excited to see what the future holds.”

More timely dementia diagnoses

Alongside the EPSRC dementia networks announcement today, Innovate UK has announced an additional investment of up to £2 million into a digital tool for dementia assessment.

The funding will support alongside ARUK, Alzheimer’s Society, Gates Ventures, NIHR, People’s Postcode Lottery research into the identification and effectiveness of blood tests that can spot the onset of diseases that can lead to dementia sooner, so patients can get earlier treatment to slow this disease’s onset.

The REAI world Dementia OUTcomes (READ-OUT) digital cognitive assessment team will be led by Dementias Platform UK researchers from the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London.

The team will also be supported by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative as part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge.

Stella Peace, Interim Executive Chair at Innovate UK, said: “We are dedicated to driving business growth and transforming the landscape of dementia care and support, providing hope and improved outcomes for patients and their families to make life better. This investment builds on the £15 million Innovate UK has committed to the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals Programme.”

Assess the benefit of using a quick digital cognitive test

Professor Vanessa Raymont of Dementias Platform UK, who is heading the READ-OUT team that will deliver the new study as part of its existing blood biomarker programme said: “This add-on initiative to the READ-OUT study is a tremendous opportunity to assess the benefit of using a quick digital cognitive test alongside the panel of blood biomarkers we are identifying for Alzheimer’s and other diseases that can cause dementia.

“This is especially exciting given READ-OUT is keen to recruit people via Dementias Platform UK’s nationwide network that have other health problems and from ethnic groups that we haven’t been able to involve in research before. This approach will allow us to understand if such a combination of tests could be helpful and cost effective to roll out across NHS memory clinics and beyond.”