Can you help with dementia research?

The National Institute for Health Research and Join Dementia Research are looking for residents and professionals in Herefordshire to help with vital research into dementia.

Did you know….Every three minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with dementia?  It’s one of the biggest challenges we face today and yet there’s still so much more which needs to be done to better understand dementia diagnosis, treatment, care and prevention.  The only way to find answers to help further develop our understanding of dementia, is through vital research, which is reliant on people volunteering to take part in research projects, which will make a difference now and in the future. 

Anyone over the age of 18, can volunteer to take part and you don’t need to have been diagnosed with dementia.  In fact, researchers are looking for those with or without dementia, their carers, family members and friends.  You’ll be able to get involved in a wide range of different research activities, covering everything from questionnaires, support groups and nutrition to medication, blood tests and genetics.

It’s easy to sign up to Join Dementia Research, on behalf of yourself or someone else, where you’ll be matched to suitable researchers, who will contact you to ask if you’d like to take part in their studies.  It’s important to note that you don’t have to take part in a particular study, if you feel it’s not right for you. 

If you’d like to volunteer to help make a difference or would like to find out more, simply visit the Join Dementia Research website.  You can also call the Alzheimer’s Society on 0333 150 3456 or Alzheimer’s Research UK on 0300 111 5111.
 

How to get involved in UK dementia research

Are you a healthcare professional?

If you work with people living with dementia and / or their carers, you can also support them to register and volunteer with Join Dementia Research.

Currently, less than 4% of the 850,000 people diagnosed with dementia in the UK, are actually taking part in research studies and 80% don’t know how to get involved in research activities.

The aim is to make it possible for anyone and everyone, who wants to be involved in dementia research, to have the opportunity to do so.  This will not only improve our understanding of dementia, but also help shape NHS services and treatments.

If you’d like to help your patients or their families register with Join Dementia Research, take a look at the free online learning resource.  It only takes about ten minutes to complete and you’ll receive a certificate at the end.

If you’re a healthcare professional, organisation or small group and would like to know more about Join Dementia Research and how you can help support the initiative, please don’t hesitate to contact Jacqueline Smart at jacqueline.smart@nihr.ac.uk or 0121 301 4341 / 07787 284800.
 

Support your patients to register with Join Dementia Research