The Dementia HIT research workstream is led by Professor Rik Cheston, Professor of Mental Health Research (Dementia), University of the West of England (UWE).
For the latest research updates, sign up to the Dementia HIT Research Newsletter.
In our video 'How to get involved in dementia research in Bristol' you can hear about the kind of dementia research taking place in the Bristol area and why you might like to consider taking part in research.
"I see no reason to not do something that could help me and other people," says Pat, a person living with dementia, who is involved in dementia research.
To find out more about dementia research opportunities, sign up to receive the Dementia HIT Research newsletter or email us at dementia@bristolhealthpartners.org.uk. You can also visit our Patient and Public Involvement in dementia research webpage.
Here are some of the many research projects taking place across Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire:
There is a pressing need for finding new ways of making an accurate, early diagnosis of dementia. Researchers at the University of Bristol are testing home sensor technology to see if they can identify subtle behavioural changes in people who go on to develop dementia, to see if the technology can be useful as a diagnostic tool. The researchers are looking for participants who have a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's disease. See here for more information about the project or get in touch with Dr James Selwood on james.selwood@bristol.ac.uk or 0117 414 8238.
The PrAISED (Promoting Activity, Independence and Stability in Early Dementia) study is a therapy for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and all dementia types except for Lewy Body dementia. People with memory problems can struggle with everyday activities, are more prone to accidents and may stop doing things they want to do. The purpose of PrAISED is to design a unique therapy package to help maintain the activity, independence and balance of the participant. For more information on this or other studies at the Research Institute for the Care of Older People (RICE) in Bath, please contact Vanessa Bishop on 01225 476420.
Led by Professor Rik Cheston at the University of West of England, the ADAPT study aims to develop an online resource to support enhancing dementia services for people from South Asian communities who are affected by dementia. For more information about how to be involved, please contact Professor Rik Cheston on richard.cheston@uwe.ac.uk.
A join initiative between Dementia HIT and Active Lives HIT. This was a 12-week intervention, combining group physical exercises with social activity, to help those at risk of cognitive decline and dementia to increase their regular and long-term exercise. Evidence suggests regular physical exercise may improve cognition in later life, particularly when combined with multiple other interventions, including management of metabolic and vascular disease, good dietary intake, cognitive training and social interaction. The service evaluation took place at the Brain Centre, Southmead Hospital. Read the report
The University of the West of England (UWE) spoke to older people and their families from African-Caribbean, Chinese and South Asian communities in Bristol in order to find out about the experiences of people with dementia. Download the full report (PDF) and the report’s supplementary information (PDF). You can also hear about the experiences of dementia of people from BME communities in this film:
Watch a film explaining this work
The range of research undertaken is summarised in this report, table, and the results of the research survey undertaken by the Dementia HIT.
There are two universities in Bristol who undertake a range of dementia-related research. In each university, dementia-related research takes place in a number of schools and departments:
Join Dementia Research (JDR) is a place where people living with dementia or people without dementia who are interested in taking part in research can join a research register. Signing up is the first step in becoming involved in supporting vital research. The JDR team have produced an animation demonstrating how it works, and a documentary which explains why taking part in research is vital.
Hilary Doxford is living with dementia. She is an ambassador and Research Network volunteer for Alzheimer’s Society. Hilary also supports BRACE, is a champion for Join Dementia Research, is a member of World Dementia Council, and a former vice-chair of Alzheimer’s Europe. In the video below, Hilary’s husband filmed her talking about the importance of research:
University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)
University of Bristol
In addition to the universities' researchers, there are active research departments within each of the NHS partner organisations:
Other research organisations the Dementia HIT work closely with include;
