The IDoService project is delighted to announce that it has received a Healthy Ageing Challenge Award as follow-on funding to develop its I-Can-Do app further and to help realise it for public use. With rising numbers of people with dementia, support at the early stages is important to help people maintain their health and wellbeing as long as possible. The challenge for supporting people at the early stages of dementia is in providing an individualised and tailored offer of activities in their local community that meets their interests and needs, that is not perceived as stigmatising, and that allows them to make a contribution for which they feel valued, states the project coordinator.
IDoService offers a novel and innovative programme with the service focusing on older people with a recent diagnosis of dementia and supporting them in identifying, participating in and contributing to social activities in their community by connecting them to local volunteer services. The Service is built around a core three-session plan, delivered by the wellbeing mentor, which allows people to explore their strengths and interests, get to know what is available locally and to decide what they want to do in a safe and convivial way.
The IDoService team has successfully trialled the service with Age UK Salford during 2022. This resulted in the recommendation to provide a digital version of the service to allow sharing information between the wellbeing mentor, people with dementia, their care partners and volunteer service staff. For this next phase, the team will now work with people with dementia, their care partners, dementia and volunteer organisations through co-design workshops to develop the I-Can-Do app prototype and extend the trial in Greater Manchester to make the Service more user-friendly and easily scalable. The project aims to have a wide impact on how to improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia and recognition of the value people with dementia can bring to society and to reduce stigma.
The project is funded through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the Healthy Ageing Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK and ESRC. The UKRI Healthy Ageing Challenge Catalyst Awards – Round 4 is delivered in partnership with Zinc. This project built on the work done in the MinD project, in which Alzheimer Europe was involved. For any questions or suggestions about access to meaningful activities, please do not hesitate to contact the research team on: mk.niedderer@mmu.ac.uk
For more information about the IDoService project, visit: http://www.idoservice.org
