Government-backed research is looking at how people living with dementia can be better supported to stay living independently.

Four new research networks will focus on creating technologies to help dementia patients manage memory loss, communication difficulties and cope better with everyday tasks, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said.

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While the research is not specifically focused on younger people with dementia, it is hoped it will nevertheless help the estimated 70,800 people of working age in the UK who have ‘young-onset’ dementia better manage the condition, including potentially staying in work in some shape or form.

The work also aligns with the government’s ‘Plan for Change’ for the NHS, in particular its desire to shift healthcare from hospitals into the community, the DHSC said.

The University of Sheffield will work to develop technologies to help dementia patients communicate as their disease progresses, supporting speech and memory challenges.

A research team at Heriot-Watt University will develop technology to anticipate, and where possible slow, progression of dementia patients’ symptoms.

Academics from Northumbria University will develop local hubs in rural and remote areas, where dementia patients can access technology to help them with everyday tasks.

Finally, a team from Imperial College London will develop easily-used tools to support independent living, including using AI to support data analytics.

The networks will also collaborate with a range of key partners including the NHS, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK and local authorities and councils, said the DHSC, with the projects being backed by £6.7m of government funding.

Health minister Karin Smyth said: “Backing these groundbreaking technologies won’t just help people with dementia – it’ll transform their lives, giving people the freedom to stay in their own homes, around the people they love.

“Moving care out of hospitals and into communities isn’t just smart healthcare – it’s about giving people independence,” she added.

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