DEMCOM: National Evaluation of Dementia Friendly Communities
Research type
Research Study
Full title
DEMCOM: National Evaluation of Dementia Friendly Communities
IRAS ID
223956
Contact name
Claire Goodman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Hertfordshire
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
HSK/SF/UH/02728, University of Hertfordshire Ethical Approval (Phase 2*) *Not involving people who lack capacity
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
In 2012, the Prime Minister delivered his challenge on Dementia promoting Dementia Friendly Communities (DFCs) as the key to achieving inclusion and support for individuals with dementia and their carers by 2020. DFCs include groups defined by geographical location, particular activities or large public and commercial organisations.
This 30 month study funded by the Department of Health Policy Research Program (PRP) aims to identify whether DFCs support people living with dementia and their carers to maintain their independence and feel valued members of their local community and, if so, which approaches have worked best and at what cost for which groups of people.
Phase 1 will review information available on the internet and related documented evidence to establish how DFCs have been set up, their main focus and who is leading them. Approval for this phase has already been secured elsewhere.
The focus of this submission is phases 2 and 3. These phases will use a bespoke dementia sensitive tool to study in depth up to 6 DFCs that in different ways are seen as successful. These include the costs of running and being involved in a DFC, evidence of benefit, the involvement of people living with dementia and carers, and wider public engagement.
The data collected to inform our evaluation will be mainly qualitative and will involve one-to-one interviews and focus groups with people living with dementia, family carers and people who provide relevant services. Local steering groups will be set up in the study sites to inform data collection and recruitment.
This will provide an evidence based evaluation framework to inform how current and future initiatives are approached and funded.REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0996
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion