3th Edition – May 2019

Hello to you all! Here is our latest news…

• We are thrilled to have received 17 Expressions of Interest for the first round of Dementia Enquirers grants! There is a wide range of topics and methods proposed – and applications from many areas of the UK too. The fuller application forms have now been sent out.

• Selection will take place at our third Pioneers meeting on Tues 11 to Wed 12 June, at Woodbrooke in Birmingham. The process will be observed by our funding manager from the National Lottery Communities Fund.

• We will also have a debate on that Wednesday morning with some of our advisors who are joining us. The topic is: “What does “people with dementia in the driving seat of research” really mean?”

• After this we will be contacting some of the many allies who have offered support, to invite them to mentor one of the successful groups – especially if there is a project near them, or on their area of interest.

Coming up

• We are hoping to arrange a Knowledge Exchange between the Pioneers and the DEAR group in the week beginning 8 July, in Manchester. DEAR is a group of 11 people with dementia from DEEP groups in the North West. The group have been working as researchers, with the support of Rosie (from Exeter University) and Rachael to develop a new measurement about living well with dementia. DEAR is the name that the group came up with – it stands for Dementia Experience into Action Research.

• The next Pioneers meeting by ZOOM will be in September [date to be confirmed in June].

• We want to work with all of you on developing an ‘ethical framework’ and possibly an approval process which are more tailored to research involving and/or led by people with dementia.

Ideas for you this month

Meanwhile, here are a couple of ideas of how you can support the project:

• Record a Dementia Diary about how you are feeling about the project

• Keep handing out the new postcards please

If you have any queries, thoughts, inspirations or anything at all, please email Rachael at rachael@myid.org.uk or call her on 01392 420076.

We look forward to talking with you all again soon 