The FINANCIAL — There are currently 44 million people in the world living with dementia, and by 2050 this number is set to treble to 135 million, according to the ‘Neighbourhoods and Dementia’ study, led by the University of Manchester.
Following on from last year’s announcement by Prime Minister David Cameron of plans to tackle the ‘national crisis’ posed by dementia, the G8 Dementia summit aims to agree what can be done to stimulate greater investment and innovation in dementia research.
“There is a growing recognition that insufficient attention has been paid to the outcomes measured in clinical trials. In addition, for studies with people with dementia, there has been very limited caregiver and patient involvement in determining the important outcomes to measure," said Professor Paula Williamson, from the University’s Institute of Translational Medicine.
“This work will allow the results of trials and other studies to be compared, contrasted and combined as appropriate, as well as ensuring that all trials contribute usable information. Trials will also be more likely to measure appropriate outcomes because of the need to involve multiple stakeholder groups, including caregivers and patients, to determine what should be core," she added.
The project is the first large-scale research programme to work alongside people with dementia and their families in a variety of roles from advisers to co-researchers. The research team will develop Neighbourhood Profiles using existing longitudinal databases to provide more accurate estimates of geographical variation in cognitive ageing and service use to inform policy, commissioning and practice.
As part of the intervention work programme, researchers will develop the first digitalised life story tool for Deaf people (BSL users) who live with dementia, according to University of Liverpool.
The research team involves seven universities (Manchester, Stirling, Liverpool, UCL, Salford, Lancaster, and Linköping in Sweden) and four user groups: EDUCATE and Open Doors (Greater Manchester, England); The ACE Club (Rhyl, North Wales) and the Scottish Dementia Working Group (Glasgow, Scotland).
“We are working with dementia patients and their families to help undertake all aspects of the research, from the planning to the doing. This will lead to the development of new research tools for use by people with dementia and their families and help to create innovative ways of working,” said Professor John Keady, lead researcher from The University of Manchester.
“Dementia is a major challenge for our society, and it is imperative to develop an understanding of the needs of those with dementia, their families and the communities they live in," ESRC Chief Executive Paul Boyle said. “These six funded projects will provide much-needed evidence for changes in future health and social care policy, as well as practical guidance for charities and third sector organisations working with sufferers of dementia,” he added.
