Northamptonshire Dementia Research & Innovation Centre

At UoN Dementia Research and Innovation Centre (NDRIC), we work in partnership with health and social care providers, voluntary organisations, students, and the public to design and develop contemporary and innovative approaches to the provision of person centred community-based care and support for people living with dementia (PlwD) and their carers.

Around a fifth of people aged 85 or older suffer from some form of dementia. It currently affects about 800,000 people, which is projected to rise to 1m in the UK by 2025 and 2m by 2050. In Northamptonshire, the number of people predicted to have dementia will rise from 6,935 in 2008 (of which 65% are female) to 11,899 in 2025. Many will experience unnecessary medical interventions in the early stages of the disease due to developing crisis, stress, loneliness, and social isolation. Given the increasing prevalence of all types of dementia globally in the next 30 years, but particularly in the aging population; early identification and recognition of symptoms associated with the diagnosis can enable individuals to develop social support networks and personal coping strategies to help them to live well with the condition longer in the community. As a changemaker University, at Northampton, inspiring, developing and supporting Changemakers is what we do. Changemakers are simply those who spot a social or environmental problem, and have the skills and grit to do something about it.

Led by Professor Jacqueline Parkes, the team at NDRIC will build on their experience and expertise in establishing person-centred community-based psychosocial support networks; diagnostic processes and post diagnostic support mechanisms in YOD; assistive technologies, developing integrated care in community settings; and neurological disease and portable balance measurement.

NDRIC will focus on:

• Promoting early diagnosis and early intervention for all people experiencing the signs and symptoms associated with dementia.
• Developing training for primary care practitioners into the signs and symptoms associated with all types of dementia.
• Promoting timely access to appropriate health and social care pathways.
• Developing community-based awareness of dementia and social avenues to enhance the quality of life of community dwelling people with dementia and their carers.

Our projects include:

• The University’s inaugural Changemaker Challenge Project: Developing a Northamptonshire Centre which will provide integrated holistic post-diagnostic community-based support for People living with Dementia and their carers in Northamptonshire.
• The Angela Project: Improving diagnosis and post diagnostic support for younger people living with dementia and their caregivers (funded by the Alzheimer’s Society 2016, and in partnership with UCL and the University of Bradford).
• Developing tiers 1, 2, and 3 Dementia Awareness Training Packages as part of the Dementia Academic Action Group (funded by HEETV).
• The Annual Memory Day: The purpose of the Memory Day is to bring together individuals and organisations from across Northamptonshire to provide information and advice to people with dementia, carers, general public and businesses about dementia and memory.

Ensuring that PlwD and their carers are actively engaged in all aspects of training and education, and research management is integral to all work undertaken by the Centre. Their views are at the heart of all we offer, in the hope that together we can shape service delivery across Northamptonshire and beyond.