Alzheimer Nederland invests three million in multifunctional practical solutions for dementia
September 07, 2022 – 07:08
A better quality of life for people with dementia
People with dementia cannot live without help and support. Yet few proven products and services find their way to people with dementia and their loved ones. After all, the needs differ greatly for each person and change during the course of the disease. A newly established consortium is investigating what works per person and when this help and support is needed. Alzheimer Nederland is joining forces with Health~Holland for this research. Following on from this investment, the largest that Alzheimer Nederland has ever made, Health~Holland will later make an additional 3 million available to further develop the consortium’s products and bring them closer to the market.
There are already more than 290,000 people with dementia and the costs of care rise to more than 10 billion per year. “Ultimately, everyone wants treatment for dementia.” says Gerjoke Wilmink, director of Alzheimer Nederland. “But it is great that dementia is complex and that solutions are now also needed that improve the quality of life. Caregivers are overloaded and people with dementia have great help and support.”
Finding and measuring needs
Dementia is a complex disease with more than 50 different causes. Young and old are affected, in different living situations and the course is also very different. After the diagnosis change, a lot changes. “With dementia, the desires differ enormously. From person to person, but also from day to day”, says Wilmink: “What does the person with dementia need, what is still possible and does it all help? This research helps the person with dementia, her relatives and healthcare professionals with that.” The knowledge that the project provides then provides the developers of interventions: Where exactly is it located? What helps who? And how can we tailor solutions even better to someone’s personal situation?
Putting it into practice
“The psychosocial and technical interventions are currently insufficiently finding their way into practice. While a lot of valuable research is being done,” says Wilmink. “With this grant, universities, universities of applied sciences and knowledge institutes are brought together. And with the help of Health~Holland, practical organizations and companies will also join in 2023. These parties will develop together and with people with dementia and their loved ones.”
Broad collaboration
The consortium is called SPREAD+ and is led by the Alzheimer Centrum Limburg/MUMC+ (Prof. Dr. Marjolein de Vugt), Radboudumc Alzheimer Centrum/UKON (Prof. Dr. Debby Gerritsen), UNO-UMCG/Alzheimer Centrum Groningen (Prof. Dr. Sytse Zuidema and Hogeschool Windesheim (Dr. ir. Simone de Bruin) In addition, Tilburg University, Trimbos Institute, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Expertise Center Pharos Hogeschool Zuyd, Hogeschool Utrecht, Hogeschool InHolland and the Erasmus Alzheimer Center are part of the consortium.
Debby Gerritsen, Radboudumc Alzheimer Center/UKON: “With the efforts of all partners from the consortium, we gain more insight into how people with dementia, their relatives and healthcare professionals can improve the quality of life together. With an eye for diversity. And we may convert these into concrete handles, so that improvement is possible in the short term.”
Windesheim will spend part of the grant on learning and designing in dementia care. Simone de Bruin (Windesheim): “In this way we want to ensure that new knowledge is given a place in education and practice. But also vice versa: that the knowledge to be developed meets the needs of education and practice.”
Source: Alzheimer Netherlands