Age Scotland and two Scottish universities are leading a new technology network to support the social, mental and physical wellbeing of people living with dementia in Scotland and help them stay at home as long as possible.

The collaboration is backed by £2m and looks to develop novel technologies that both promote independent living and enhance the quality-of-life for people with dementia.

Heriot-Watt University, the University of Strathclyde and Age Scotland say their work will respond to the needs identified by people living with dementia.

Around 85% of people in the UK surveyed by the Alzheimer’s Society said they would want to stay at home for as long as possible if diagnosed with dementia.

Age Scotland has already led work on cognitive-friendly space design which utilises VR to help understand the experiences of people with dementia.

Now, this CONSOLIDATE project will see the charity partner with care bodies, charities and health boards over three years to find solutions to support healthier and more fulfilling lives for those affected by dementia.

Individuals and groups are invited to join CONSOLIDATE, with opportunities to apply for research funding, participate in and shape research activities.

Anna Clements, Head of Dementia at Age Scotland, said:

“At Age Scotland, we believe that working with people who have lived experience of dementia is essential to everything we do.

“Any new technology must be designed with them, not just for them. For example, sensor technology can help make living spaces safer and more secure, but people living with dementia want more than to simply be monitored. 

“They want technology that supports their independence, helps them stay engaged and allows them to live independently for as long as possible.

“Focusing only on safety, while important, doesn’t help people retain their abilities or stay as active as they’d like.”

Research has suggested that dementia progression can be slowed by engaging in social activities and promoting or protecting functional capacities, including cognitive skills and self-care activities. 

Last year, the government launched a ‘rethink’ dementia campaign to encourage people to stay socially connected and now the CONSOLIDATE team will explore how technology can support this.

Heriot-Watt University’s School of Social Sciences Professor Alan Gow said:

“Technology has immense potential to support people living with dementia, from virtual assistants promoting social, mental, and physical engagement, smart sensors to monitor activity, and even robots that aid with daily tasks - the tools exist. 

“But to truly support independence, the design of these technologies must be driven by the needs and aspirations of the people they are there to serve.”

For people living with dementia, their families and carers, extra months or years of independent living could not only improve their wellbeing but also reduce the time and cost of care. 

For those in the earlier stages of dementia, the network will explore how technology can enhance their existing cognitive and day-to-day functional abilities. 

As the disease progresses, it will focus on how technology can anticipate people’s changing needs and aid with declining or lost skills, without hastening that decline.

Age Scotland’s Head of Dementia, Ms Clements said CONSOLIDATE wants to explore how technology can support independence now while also adapting to people’s future needs.

Putting people affected by dementia at the heart of design 

Executive Chair of UK Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) – one of the funding bodies for this project – Professor Charlotte Deane said the work will bring together a “wealth of expertise” across academia, healthcare, charities and people with lived experience. 

Alzheimer Scotland, Carers Scotland, the Community Renewal Trust, Meeting Centres Scotland and NHS health boards will all be involved in the programme.

The team says that people living with dementia will also be central to the research and design process as the network will co-design solutions responding to the needs identified by people living with dementia.

Additionally, the team will seek to ensure that any solutions developed are financially and geographically accessible to all.

Mario Parra Rodriguez, Professor at the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Psychological Sciences and Health, explained:

“By equipping emerging technologies with knowledge contributed by relevant disciplines and mapping such developments to the needs and preferences of those who will benefit from them, we can achieve unprecedented levels of personalised care. 

“CONSOLIDATE moves away from the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach as it aims to support the development of new technologies that can adapt to the changing needs of diverse populations living with dementia.”

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