Dementia is a term that covers a wide range of different conditions and every person with dementia experiences illness and the challenges it brings in different ways. While prevention and successful treatment of dementia remain elusive, finding ways to live well with dementia are important goals for individuals and their families and this is increasingly a focus of Welsh and UK government policy. But we know relatively little about what living well with dementia means to the people and families affected by it or what factors support or hinder people\u2019s ability to live well. \u00a0There is also a lack of knowledge about the ways in which people with dementia and their families make sense of and adapt to the condition and to the changes they experience over time.<\/p>\n
Researchers at WISERD<\/a> (Wales Institute of Social & Economic Research, Data & Methods) at Cardiff University, are working in partnership with the Research in Aging and Cognitive Health Group (REACH<\/a>) at the University of Exeter on a study that specifically addresses the question of what it means to live well with dementia and how this can best be supported. The ESRC and NIHR funded study is called IDEAL, short for Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life and it is the largest UK study of its kind. \u00a0The researchers have recruited over 1200 people with dementia and their carers living in England, Wales and Scotland into a longitudinal study.\u00a0 Each person and their carer will be interviewed and surveyed at three separate times over three years, allowing changes in their illness, their quality of life and their social circumstances to be carefully measured. In this way the study aims to identify the social and psychological factors that influence people with dementia and their families\u2019 ability to live well with any type of dementia.<\/p>\n The researchers based in WISERD are carrying out some additional in-depth interviews with a smaller number of IDEAL participants to understand the reasons why some social and psychological factors shape people\u2019s experience of living with dementia, for better or worse.\u00a0 This aspect of the study will enable those with dementia, and their families, to describe what is important to them in relation to living well with dementia, in their own words.\u00a0 This information will provide the research team with more detail about how and why certain factors impact on living well.<\/p>\n The research has been planned and developed in partnership with people with dementia and their carers and will provide a much needed evidence base from which to identify what changes could be made at individual and community levels to actually make living well with dementia more achievable. Ultimately, the research team are confident that the study will result in more informed recommendations for social and health care purchasers, providers and planners as well as better informed advice and guidance for people living with dementia and those who support them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dementia is a term that covers a wide range of different conditions and every person with dementia experiences illness and the challenges it brings in different ways. While prevention and […]","protected":false},"author":1243,"featured_media":1092,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[10,45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adult-mental-health","category-dementia"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7swiU-hy","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1097,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/dementia\/","url_meta":{"origin":1088,"position":0},"title":"Dementia","author":"Professor Kim Graham","date":"6 April 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Professor Kim Graham is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Dean of Research in the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences at Cardiff University.\u00a0 She is on the Steering Group of the Dementias Platform UK, and author of an Oxford University Press book entitled, \u2018The Evolution of Memory Systems\u2019.\u00a0 Her research\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dementia"","block_context":{"text":"Dementia","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/category\/dementia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/04\/Dementia-in-letter-blocks.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/04\/Dementia-in-letter-blocks.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/04\/Dementia-in-letter-blocks.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/04\/Dementia-in-letter-blocks.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/04\/Dementia-in-letter-blocks.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/04\/Dementia-in-letter-blocks.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":692,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/its-not-just-about-the-dementia\/","url_meta":{"origin":1088,"position":1},"title":"It’s not just about the dementia","author":"Dr Katie Featherstone","date":"21 September 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Jackie Askey questioned Dr Featherstone about her work and what it will mean for people with dementia and their carers.","rel":"","context":"In "Alzheimer's"","block_context":{"text":"Alzheimer's","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/category\/alzheimers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/09\/Katie-Featherstone-and-Jackie-Askey.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/09\/Katie-Featherstone-and-Jackie-Askey.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/09\/Katie-Featherstone-and-Jackie-Askey.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/09\/Katie-Featherstone-and-Jackie-Askey.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1461,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/exploring-the-link-between-football-and-dementia\/","url_meta":{"origin":1088,"position":2},"title":"Exploring the link between football and dementia","author":"Jack Beaumont","date":"12 February 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I work on a project investigating Alzheimer\u2019s disease at Cardiff University\u2019s MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics. Although not directly related to the research project I am involved with, I am interested in the impact of concussion in sport and whether repeated blows to the head\/concussions increase the risk\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adult mental health"","block_context":{"text":"Adult mental health","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/category\/adult-mental-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-511710003.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-511710003.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-511710003.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-511710003.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-511710003.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-511710003.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1396,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/developing-research-into-using-social-networks-to-manage-the-experience-of-dementia\/","url_meta":{"origin":1088,"position":3},"title":"Developing research into using social networks to manage the experience of dementia","author":"Rebecca Louch","date":"22 November 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"For my Cardiff University Undergraduate Research Programme placement, I was fortunate to be offered the chance to work with the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Methods and Data (WISERD) on a project relating to improving the experience of living with dementia. This work focuses on the factors which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adult mental health"","block_context":{"text":"Adult mental health","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/category\/adult-mental-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/11\/sociogram.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/11\/sociogram.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2017\/11\/sociogram.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":743,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/raising-mental-health-awareness-in-the-community\/","url_meta":{"origin":1088,"position":4},"title":"Raising mental health awareness in the community","author":"Gemma Stacey-Emile","date":"6 October 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"This month will see the second Mental Health and Well-being event held at the Pavilion, Grange Gardens in Grangetown, Cardiff.\u00a0 This work is part of the Community Gateway flagship engagement project within Cardiff University and specifically aims to raise awareness of mental health and well-being issues within this diverse inner\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adult mental health"","block_context":{"text":"Adult mental health","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/category\/adult-mental-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/10\/Community-Mental-Health.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/10\/Community-Mental-Health.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/10\/Community-Mental-Health.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/10\/Community-Mental-Health.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/10\/Community-Mental-Health.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/502\/2016\/10\/Community-Mental-Health.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":588,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/mental-health\/alzheimers-cure-or-incurable-hype\/","url_meta":{"origin":1088,"position":5},"title":"Alzheimer\u2019s cure or incurable hype?","author":"Professor Petroc Sumner","date":"29 July 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday many newspapers claimed a major breakthrough in dementia treatment: \u201cScientists create first drug to halt Alzheimer\u2019s\u2019\u201d (The Times); \u201cScientists discover first drug to halt brain decline in Alzheimer\u2019s\u201d (The Sun). 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