Research should help older people with starting dementia live at home longer

Most elderly people want to live at home independently. When elderly people lose part of their autonomy, for example in case of incipient dementia, it is important to know what their mobility and well-being is like. With this information, older people and their caregivers can monitor the suitability of their living environment. The Faculty of Spatial Sciences is starting a research funded by ZonMW into the living environment of elderly people with incipient dementia, enabling them and their caregivers to make good decisions about living independently.

This three-year case study in the Netherlands, Sweden and Canada uses GPS tracking, in-depth interviews, walking interviews, travel journals and questionnaires. The parties involved include elderly people with incipient dementia, their families, informal caregivers, health care professionals, policy makers and technology developers.

With the collected data about the living environment of elderly living independently with incipient dementia, aimed at changes in their mobility and health, insight is gained into how these data can be used to make decisions about suitable living environments.

People with starting dementia who want to take part in this study can register via the website.

More information

Contact: dr. Louise Meijering
Website: https://www.rug.nl/research/ursi/prc/research/healthyageinginsociety/coordinates/