At the moment, psychosocial and technological interventions are not yet finding their way into practice, according to Sytse Zuidema, professor of Geriatric Medicine & Dementia and chair of the UNO-UMCG. The knowledge that the research of, among others, the UNO-UMCG will provide should support developers of technological and e-health interventions.
“With dementia, the differences are large and the needs also differ enormously. From person to person, but also from day to day,” says Gerjoke Wilmink, director of Alzheimer Nederland.
Accelerate technological interventions
This is the first time that Alzheimer Nederland has made an amount of this size available for research. The amount will also be supplemented with another three million euros from Health Holland. With this money, practical organizations and companies will develop solutions together and with people with dementia and their loved ones. The aim is to bring technological interventions to the market more quickly. The importance of involving people with dementia in the implementation was previously demonstrated in a research and graduation internship at Vilans.
Within the partnership, people with dementia and their needs are central. Healthcare professionals are also closely involved, for example through training. “It is unique that with this consortium we can join forces in the Netherlands to really make a difference in the lives of people with dementia and their loved ones,” says Marjolein de Vugt, project leader SPREAD+ and director Alzheimer Centrum Limburg.
The national partnership, SPREAD+ (Sustainable and PersonalisEd Advances in Dementia care), is led by the Alzheimer Centrum Limburg of the MUMC+, Radboudumc Alzheimer Centrum/UKON, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences and the UNO-UMCG/Alzheimer Centrum Groningen. Tilburg University, Trimbos Institute, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Expertise Center Pharos Hogeschool Zuyd, Hogeschool Utrecht, Hogeschool InHolland and the Erasmus Alzheimer Center are also part of the partnership.