D-CARE: Dementia Respect and Respite

By 2050, it is estimated there will be almost 20m Europeans living with some form of dementia; people live longer but also suffer ageing diseases. There is currently no cure for dementia, but there is a need to improve their wellbeing and also improving the skills of their caregivers, many of whom are friends and family rather than professionals; they are not trained or prepared.

The project aims to deliver training to caregivers in CST, Cognitive Stimulation Therapy. This is an evidence-based methodology, proven to help people who have mild to medium dementia, developed by the University of Central London (UCL) and now utilised by many countries. There will also be training to help the family and friends who take on the caring role, to aid their understanding and assist them: for example, creating a dementia friendly home.