Release Date 14 July 2017

Dementia patients are being looked after by carers who experience a “shocking absence” of illness-specific training, and researchers from the University of Reading will be looking at how to address the problem.

Joining one of three ’Centres of Excellence’ set up by the Alzheimer’s Society, academics from the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences will be participating in a UCL-led project to improve independence at home, by training and preparing family carers and professional care workers who make home visits to provide better care for the person affected.

Reading’s role will be to evaluate what skills health ‘trainers’ need to effectively deliver the new intervention for patients. It will also examine what helps and hinders getting the right help for patients – with a view to make the support more widely available.

Professor Laurie Butler, Head of the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading said:

“We’re delighted to join in the Alzheimer’s Society’s new Centre of Excellence in bringing together some of the finest research centres for dementia.  Our part in the new Centre based at UCL will include looking at what parts of specific care interventions are especially important and looking at what the best stage during the onset of dementia to deliver this support.”

“This latest success builds on our growing reputation with the establishment of Berkshire Memory and Cognition Research Centre in conjunction with local NHS providers (BHFT) and recent investment in the area including a new joint NHS funded Professor in Neurodegenerative Disease.”

Colin Capper, Head of Research Development at Alzheimer’s Society, said: 

“These grants offer real scope to transform the way that care in the community is delivered for people with dementia.

“By researchers working in collaboration with people affected by dementia, NHS Trusts, care providers and primary care services, we are developing interventions that are evidenced, cost-effective and scalable. The next step will be to overcome the barriers of translating this research into improved care and support in a system that has been starved of funding for decades.”

Further details on the Centre of Excellence which the University of Reading is part of, provider by the Alzheimer’s Society:

This centre will address the shocking absence of dementia training amongst care workers. Although 60% of people who receive homecare have dementia, just 2% of people affected by dementia believe home care workers had sufficient dementia training. This lack of training can cause breakdowns in these relationships that can severely affect the wellbeing of the person with dementia. Dr Claudia Cooper at UCL will lead on understanding how to improve independence at home, by training and preparing family carers and professional care workers who make home visits to provide better care for the person affected. This training, developed in collaboration with homecare providers, will offer a cost-effective, evidenced way to improve care at home.