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Can social programs improve quality of life for individuals living with dementia?
Sarah Fox
Greater Manchester Dementia Research Centre
Manchester, United Kingdom
Background
Researchers believe that Alzheimer’s and other dementia, like many chronic diseases, develop as a result of multiple factors rather than a single cause. These may include modifiable factors such as physical activity, smoking, education, and diet that provide intervention opportunities to reduce one’s risk of developing dementia and possibly slow disease progression.
One tool that appears to be beneficial in modifying risk factors is the use of social prescribing, where health care workers connect individuals with dementia with social programs to promote brain health and improve quality of life.
Research Plan
Sarah Fox proposes a pilot study to develop a social prescribing program for individuals living in Greater Manchester, a region of the United Kingdom with a high prevalence of dementia. First, the researchers will create a comprehensive framework for the program that will include resources on local social programs, educational materials, and evaluation plans for program participants. The team will recruit 35 individuals with dementia for their pilot program. Next, each individual will be assigned a social prescribing “link-worker” who will act as part of the individual’s dementia care team alongside physicians to design a custom brain health plan based on their needs. Lastly, the team will perform follow-up evaluations to assess the impact of the new program on the individual’s quality of life.
Impact
If successful, the findings from this study may highlight how social prescribing could improve quality of life for individuals with dementia. Additionally, these results may lay the groundwork for including social programs as part of standard dementia care.
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