Alzheimer’s Society unveils new innovation programme to address hospitalisation challenge

Currently one in six hospital beds are occupied by someone living with dementia. People living with dementia often face complex and fragmented care during hospitalisation, which can have severe consequences on their health and wellbeing.

The inaugural Launchpad participants were whittled down from the many applications received and the programme will act as a springboard to tackle a variety of issues connected to hospitalisation.  

The people behind the 12 new innovative ideas will work with Alzheimer’s Society to provide new solutions that will improve quality of life and revolutionise treatment, care, and support for people affected by dementia.

Working closely with the UK’s leading dementia charity, participants will have the opportunity to speak to experts, and people affected be dementia, to test and validate their ideas.

Ideas from the cohort include products designed to:

• Help people in the early stages of dementia, such as ACTION-XR’s immersive reminiscence platform and Tether’s remote monitoring of activities​ in a person’s home.
• Help carers and people in the community, these include Day To Remember, an interactive memory playback app enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI), Dee, an AI supported information, advice, guidance platform​ and Knock and Check, offering support from postal staff with links to voluntary services​.
• Streamline the health and social care system - addressed by Clearlines, which is designed to speed hospital discharge and aid planning​, Finproxy, a financial technology tool to aid property and financial power of attorney decisions and Actryx​, a forecasting and planning tool for regional and national dementia care.
• Improve the hospital experience for people with dementia -Dentablue is an antibacterial gummy to aid oral hygiene for people living with dementia​ and Em Will Care is an app which aims to predict and prevent people experiencing distress because of their dementia.

• Train and develop to ensure people with dementia receive person-centred care - with two Launchpad participants developing ways to help. K.I.M is an empathy training tool for caregivers​ and Variment offers simulation training for health and social care workers to enhance communication and interpersonal skills​.

   

Alzheimer’s Society Head of Innovation, Simon Lord -

"Dementia is the biggest health and social care issue of our time. The Launchpad initiative is part of Alzheimer’s Society’s Innovation Programme, which is designed to address the challenges people living with dementia face today, while our world-class research helps to deliver the treatments of tomorrow.

Innovation will ensure that everyone at every stage of dementia has increased choice; access to timely care and support; and an improved quality and control over their life.

“We know that hospitalisation can be a huge challenge for people with dementia, with unplanned hospital admissions making up almost a third of all dementia healthcare costs. That’s why I am delighted to unveil our Launchpad cohort who are determined to address this.

“Alzheimer’s Society is unique in co-creating everything it does with people affected by dementia and key stakeholders across dementia and innovation. This generation could end the devastation caused by dementia, but only if we work together.”

To date, Alzheimer’s Society’s innovation work has co-produced or accelerated 16 products which have reached more than 100,000 people affected by dementia. These ideas have generated more than £5million in follow-on funding.

If you understand the challenges people with dementia face in hospital, and the urgent need for innovation to address these challenges, get in touch with Alzheimer’s Society today by emailing innovation@alzheimers.org.uk