A reminiscence smartphone app is helping people with dementia in hospital cope with what can be a disorientating, frightening and confusing experience. The Ad-Memoire app, featuring TV ads from the 1950s – 1970s, is designed to stimulate fond memories when patients are shown them on a tablet or iPad. Funding from the Alan Boswell Group…
Lewy body dementia finds itself in the conference limelight in the coming months, with an international conference in June and a masterclass in November. The International Lewy Body Dementia Conference takes place in Newcastle upon Tyne on 15 and 16 June, including a scientific strand for professionals/researchers and a strand for people with the condition…
Dying people’s right to health care is being made explicit in law for the first time under new government plans for England. Alongside the government announcement, end of life charity Marie Curie released figures showing that around 215,000 people miss out on end of life care every year. Baroness Illora Finlay described the change in…
Alzheimer’s Society has republished its website advice on improving hospital experiences for people affected by dementia, pointing out that those with the condition spend on average four times longer in hospital following a fall than others. The blog post identifies what is keeping people in hospital for longer than necessary and suggests solutions. Among the…
Dawn Brooker, Director of the Association for Dementia Studies (ADS) at the University of Worcester, has now retired and become an Emeritus Professor at the University. Dr Shirley Evans, who has led the Meeting Centre programme at ADS, is now its Interim Director and will represent the association on Dementia Publishing’s Advisory Board. Professor Brooker…
Scottish Opera has revived its Memory Spinners project, which has been suspended during the pandemic, to bring music and art to people with dementia. In weekly sessions designed to engage people with dementia, taking place at St Columba’s church in Glasgow and the Byre in St Andrews, rehearsals and visual arts activities build towards a…
While UK government funding of dementia research is falling the US Congress has announced a $289 million increase for Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For the fiscal year 2022, this includes $25 million to fund and implement the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act, which creates a public health infrastructure…
A best practice guide for memory assessment services (MAS) has been produced by the Centre for Dementia Research at Leeds Beckett University, which was commissioned by NHS England and Improvement Cymru. The “Taking Memory Assessment Services into the Future” good practice guide was developed by professionals and people with experience of these services. Professor Claire…
Keeping active: Residents in care homes across the country have been getting physical as part of a project involving the “Green Goddess”, a breakfast TV fitness star from the 1980s. Care UK’s Let’s Get Physical initiative encourages residents to “try something new,” including seated ballet classes and disco yoga. Salisbury Manor residents Deanna Barnett and…
Brain Health Scotland, hosted and supported by Alzheimer Scotland, has launched a new online app to help people look after their brains. The My Brain Health Plan online quiz app presents users with a few simple questions about their life and routine before generating personalised tips and advice to assist them with their own brain…