Scottish tech project poised to boost quality of life of people with dementia

A Scottish network has secured £2m in funding to explore how technology can help people suffering from dementia live independently.

The Consolidate network, formed by Heriot-Watt University, the University of Strathclyde and Age Scotland, aims to develop technology to enhance the social, mental and physical capacities of people with dementia.

It comes as dementia rates are expected to rise across the UK. 

In Scotland, around 90,000 people suffer from dementia, rising to one million at a UK level. This is estimated to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

Often the condition becomes a barrier to living alone, with memory loss and communication challenges making it difficult to carry out daily tasks. However, 85 per cent of people would want to stay at home for as long as possible if diagnosed with dementia, according to a survey by the Alzheimer’s Society.

And research suggests that dementia progression can be slowed by protecting functional capacities, including cognitive skills and self-care activities.

Alan Gow, professor at Heriot-Watt University, 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.”

The three-year programme will focus on how technology can help people at different stages of their diagnosis, from improving functional abilities to anticipating changing needs, and providing help for declining skills.

Tools will be co-created with people suffering from the condition to ensure they are geographically and financially accessible.

Mario Parra Rodriguez, professor at the University of  Strathclyde, said: “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.”

Other partners include Alzheimer Scotland, Meeting Centres Scotland, Carers Scotland, the Community Renewal Trust and NHS boards from the Scottish Borders to the Highlands and Islands.

The project is one of four to secure funding from UK Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care.

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

“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.”