UK project looks to tech to tackle dementia at home

The funding will be used to set up four university-led research networks, each looking at different ways technology can be used to support people with dementia and allow them to live more independent lives.

One team led by Sheffield University 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. 

“Dementia is one of the biggest challenges to health and social care of our time,” said science minister, Lord Vallance. “These four networks will take on that challenge, harnessing technology to improve the quality of life for those living with the disease.

“Helping people with dementia to live more independently will allow us to move their care from hospitals to communities, reducing strain on the NHS and supporting the plans for health that are key to our Plan for Change.”

There are currently around one million people in the UK with dementia, projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. A survey by the Alzheimer’s Society revealed that 85 per cent of people said they would want to stay at home for as long as possible if diagnosed with dementia. The new research will explore how technology can be used to facilitate that, helping people living either at home or in residential settings such as care and nursing homes.

The research networks will also explore how technologies can link up with existing health and social care services, with the aim of easing demand on the NHS and shifting towards community rather than hospital care. More details on the individual projects can be found on the UKRI website.

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

“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.” 

The networks are backed by the UKRI 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. Other collaborators include the NHS, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK, and local authorities and councils.  

Alongside the EPSRC dementia networks announcement today, Innovate UK has announced an additional investment of up to £2m into a digital tool for dementia assessment. The REAI world Dementia OUTcomes (READ-OUT) digital cognitive assessment team will be led by Dementias Platform UK researchers from the Oxford University, Cambridge University, and Imperial College London.