How we partner with the Dementia Community Research Network in South London
Learn how Home Instead Wandsworth is a community partner of the Dementia Community Research Network.
At Home Instead Wandsworth, we’re dedicated to enhancing the lives of older adults, and one of the ways we do this is by working as a community partner of the Dementia Community Research Network (DCRN) in South London.
This partnership is very important to us and shows our commitment to promoting healthy ageing and improving dementia care for all. The Dementia Community Research Network (DCRN) is a collaboration of community members, public organisations, and research partners, including Dementia researchers from different universities across south London, including King’s College London and UCL.
Currently, there are 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK. For those from minority ethnic communities, the number of dementia cases is expected to increase sevenfold by 2040.
Research can improve access to dementia services and boost the quality of dementia care. However, people from marginalised ethnic communities often have fewer opportunities to participate in research. The Dementia Community Research Network (DCRN) aims to change this.
Research meets real-life experiences of living with dementia
As part of this network, at Home Instead Wandsworth, Lambeth and Dulwich we strive to enhance care for everyone affected by dementia, by encouraging diverse participation in research and through our outreach with community groups and our home care services. This helps to ensure that research reflects the real experiences of people living with dementia in South London.
A major challenge in dementia research is the under-representation of marginalised groups, especially ethnic minorities. We know that people from these backgrounds often face barriers to accessing research opportunities, and we work hard to bridge this gap, making research more inclusive and representative. This is crucial for producing research that truly reflects the varied experiences of all people affected by dementia.
Community engagement session at King’s College
Our partnership with King’s College London and other key partners has also enabled us to have access to several important research initiatives. Recently, we attended a community engagement session for Dementia Community Research Network at King’s College Hospital. This meeting highlighted many research projects in dementia care, covering areas like Day Centres, Spiritual Care in Care Homes, the EMBED-Care project, the PriDem project, “A Right to Be Heard” policy brief, and the Science Gallery exhibition, Dementia Journeys. These initiatives aim to develop care strategies that respect and meet the specific needs of older adults living with dementia.
A valuable community partner of the Dementia Community Research Network
The dedication and enthusiasm of everyone involved, including our own Care Professionals, are truly inspiring. At Home Instead Wandsworth, we are proud to be part of this vital work.
DCRN commented on our involvement:
“Home Instead is a valuable community partner of the Dementia Community Research Network (DCRN). Their dedication to equitable dementia care has allowed the DCRN to reach individuals affected by dementia from various backgrounds.
The Home Instead team is always willing to assist and has played a pivotal role in contributing to the DCRN’s vision for inclusive dementia research. We are grateful for their partnership and look forward to more collaborative efforts to enhance dementia care for all.”
We firmly believe that by sharing our hands-on experience at our community dementia-friendly cafes and through our dementia care services, with the leading research conducted by our partners, we can make a significant impact on dementia care.
If you or someone you know is living with dementia and could benefit from our home care services, please reach out to us. We’re here to help, to learn more about our home care and dementia care services, give our friendly and professional local team a call on 0208 022 5240.
For local job opportunities, you can apply to become a Care Professional online at our website. Together, we can make a difference.