At a recent Memory Cafe, we had a visit from Dr Emily Dodd a researcher, looking at the support people recieve and challenges they face with Dementia in rural and coastal communities.
Members of Minehead Dementia Action have kindly taken part in the research over the past year. At Memory Cafe, Dr Emily Dodd gave an interactive presentation on her findings - we were shown a video animation of the issues people were facing and also had a short activity where groups in the Cafe discussed their thoughts on what challenges they face.
The activity involved ranking the nine key challenge areas by their local importance - not to suggest they aren't all important, but to understand which issues matter most in the local context and why. More photos can be seen at the bottom of this page.
We’re excited to share insights from the Dementia in Rural and Coastal Communities Research Project, which explored the lived experiences of people with dementia and their families in areas like West Somerset and Cornwall.
This research involved interviews with 21 local residents to better understand:
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The support people with dementia and their families currently receive
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What additional support they feel is needed
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The role of the voluntary sector in offering help
Key Themes Identified:
The conversations highlighted nine key areas of challenges and gaps in services:
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Transport and Accessibility
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Diagnosis and Post-Diagnosis Support
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Carer Experience and Support
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Health and Social Care Coordination
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Activities and Engagement
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Information and Signposting
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Digital Inclusion and Technology
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Volunteer Involvement
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Community and Social Connection
With the over-65 population in rural areas expected to rise by 50% by 2039 (Age UK), and the World Health Organisation calling for more focus on rural dementia inequalities, this work is more important than ever.
What’s Next?
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Sharing findings at community events
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Working with local people to set future research priorities
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Co-designing new research projects
You can watch an animation of the project’s findings here: Watch on YouTube
A big Thank you to Dr Emily Dodd for the research and presentation, and for taking further feedback from today in to consideration when presenting findings to larger organisations. We hope this will help guide and improve services in the future.
