Psychosocial interventions have been shown to improve the quality of life of people with dementia and their carers. However, demonstrating their value in economic terms has been challenging. This, in turn, limits their funding and wider implementation across Europe.
The JPND-funded project DEM-CAPS (“Dementia Care and Psychosocial Support programmes: long-term patient-relevant and health economic impact to support their access and implementation in practice”) seeks to address this gap by developing a robust framework for the health economic evaluation of such interventions. The three-year project brings together researchers from across Europe, including the Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), Maastricht University (the Netherlands), the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (Germany), Masaryk University (Czechia) and Alzheimer Europe (Luxembourg).
At the core of DEM-CAPS is the development of a health economic model informed by extensive stakeholder input, ensuring that the perspectives of those directly affected are meaningfully reflected. Alzheimer Europe will play a leading role in this work by coordinating the stakeholder analysis and Public Involvement activities. In particular, the organisation will analyse national dementia strategies to better understand how psychosocial interventions are currently positioned within them. In collaboration with its national member organisations and the INTERDEM network, Alzheimer Europe will also examine the current state of the art across countries and assess existing reimbursement structures. Through a range of Public Involvement activities throughout the project, Alzheimer Europe will furthermore ensure that the needs, values and preferences of people with dementia and carers are adequately reflected in the health economic models developed.
The project held a first kick-off meeting on 26 March, where partners came together to discuss the overall planning and logistical aspects of the work ahead.
