Recent news on dementia research has focused on getting an early diagnosis and drugs to treat the condition. However, it is also important to find ways to help people live well with dementia.

The IDEAL (Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life) project aimed to understand what factors influence a person’s ability to live well with dementia. The study ran from 2014 to 2024, involving 1,570 people with mild-to-moderate dementia and more than 1,200 carers. 

It found that people with dementia who engaged in activities that were meaningful to them lived happier lives. 

A focal point of the study was the co-creation of resources and materials to improve wellbeing. These include:

  • the ‘Living with Dementia Toolkit’, which aims to give people with dementia hope for the future and offer ideas of ways to engage in meaningful activities
  • the ‘My Life My Goals’ workbook, which was developed to support people with dementia in setting and reaching goals that are meaningful to them

Thanks to research, more resources are being made available to help people live well with dementia. 

Geoff and Susie (pictured above) say that taking part in research has improved their quality of life. They have volunteered for several studies since Susie’s diagnosis in 2013. Watch them speak about their experiences in the video below:

We need more people with dementia to take part in studies to help us understand how to live well with the condition. If you want to take part, sign up to Join Dementia Research today. 

On Monday, read the next in our series about 10 reasons to be hopeful, focused on how lifestyle changes could reduce your risk of dementia.

Read the full series from the start.