Opinions/blogs

Fewer than half of people diagnosed with dementia in England have a documented discussion about taking part in research. This is why early discussions around signing up to dementia research is important. We spoke with Susan Bradbury, a Clinical Research Practitioner and Dr Claire Pavlou, a Neuropsychologist to discuss how they speak to their patients […]

Research is vital in improving dementia diagnosis, treatment and care. However, many people who would like to take part in research simply do not know how to get involved. Healthcare professionals can play an important role in changing this. By connecting patients, carers, and families to opportunities through Join Dementia Research. Start conversations early Present […]

Today, 55 million people around the world are living with dementia. This number is predicted to nearly triple by 2050 – reaching almost 140 million.  But, despite how common the condition is, there is still a lot of confusion around what dementia actually is. Separating fact from fiction helps people make informed choices, understand a […]

Dementia affects not only memory and cognition, but identity, relationships, confidence, and wellbeing. In this blog, Linda O’Raw, LEND Programme Manager, writes about the Lived Experience Narratives in Dementia (LEND) Programme. For many people, the period following diagnosis can feel particularly isolating, with limited support focused on how to live well with the condition. The […]

Professor Vanessa Raymont is an Associate Professor at the University of Oxford and an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. She is a highly experienced psychiatrist with over 25 years research experience in the UK and USA. In this blog, she writes about the READ-OUT study into blood tests for dementia. Clinical […]

In any area of healthcare, the topic of end-of-life is very difficult. It’s hard to talk about for people with a diagnosis, their families and healthcare professionals. But it is important to discuss, particularly with people living with dementia. Research has shown that people who have had end-of-life care conversations early on have an improved […]

  Terry Quinn is a Professor of Cardiovascular Ageing at the University of Glasgow. He recently led a study, working with volunteers in the Join Dementia Research community. The aim was to investigate what activities of daily living are important to older adults.  They found that the existing tools and methods often used to measure […]

Dimana Georgieva is the Programme Manager for a charity called Music for my Mind. The charity helps people with dementia to create free music playlists through their website. In this blog, she shares insights from their online study, ‘Generating and using personalised music playlists to improve behavioural and psychological symptoms in people with dementia: a […]

Dementia Action Week (15-21 May) is an annual awareness-raising campaign. This year’s theme is getting an earlier diagnosis of the condition. Lewis Deakin, a communications manager at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has written this blog in memory of his grandmother Edna for Dementia Action Week. Edna’s story Dementia is cruel. […]

An opinion piece by Professor John O’Brien, NIHR Clinical Research Network National Specialty Lead for Dementias The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has today said no to approving aducanumab – a new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease. EMA considered that although the drug removed amyloid, a toxic protein that builds up in the brains of people […]