Technology Empowered Dementia Independence (TEDI) Network Plus

Technology can support people living with dementia to maintain their independence through staying physically, cognitively and socially active; monitoring dementia progression and early detection of changes; and being connected to services and resources. Currently there is no dementia pathway connecting people living with dementia to technology or services and no connection between services to support people living with dementia. This transdisciplinary, multisectoral Network Plus brings together stakeholders across the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) region to co-produce a vision of life with dementia connected by technology. The NENC region is an ideal location and testbed to co-create and demonstrate what a joined-up life with dementia could look like for several reasons. NENC has the highest proportion of people living with dementia per head of the population in England. NENC is the largest Integrated Care System in England, with over 3.1million people. Over 60% of the NENC population is classed as deprived, with many living in rural and remote areas, experiencing inequalities in access to digital tools. The NENC region has a strong record of collaboration and innovation across sectors – NHS, local authorities, universities, and industry – which provide a strong foundation for this Network Plus. Over the three years our network of researchers, people living with dementia, family care partners, health, local authorities, charities and industry will work together to: (i) identify gaps in the current system; (ii) propose solutions to the gaps; and (iii) test out technologies to speed up the process of getting helpful devices to people living with dementia. (i) To identify gaps, we will plot the current life course of a person living with dementia in NENC, including interactions with services, such as unplanned hospital admissions. From this life course we will pinpoint where technology, including data sharing, could be helpful. (ii) To address the gaps, we will pump-prime projects from new teams across the region including people living with dementia and family members, social care, health and charity sector working with researchers, supported by our core studio team of designers, developers, health and dementia experts. (iii) To address inequalities and bring technology to people living with dementia we will trial a model of local technology hubs embedded in communities across NENC. At the hubs people can get advice and recommendations about technology, borrow devices to try at home, and add their voices to the discussion about how technology could help them. We will also work with other Network Pluses to scope how their technologies can fit into the service blueprint. The benefits of this Network Plus will be: increased awareness of and access to digital support and services for people living with dementia to maintain independence; improved communication between different parts of the system to detect signs of change and provide earlier intervention to avoid unplanned hospital admissions or other challenges to staying at home; reduced demands on health and social care services through responding to crisis situations, all of which will improve the lives of people living with dementia and can be replicated across the country.