EMPOWER Dementia Network+ Funds 7 Research Projects Tackling Inequalities in Dementia Care for People Needing Greater Support

The EMPOWER Dementia Network+ is delighted to fund seven projects through its Small Research Projects Fund, following an online celebration event on 11 June where teams came together to share their work. The event was attended by around 60 people, including people living with dementia, carers, researchers, and community organisations.

The Small Research Projects Fund supports co-produced research projects that address inequalities in dementia care by bringing together people with dementia, carers, researchers, and community organisations as equal partners. EMPOWER’s mission is to ensure that everyone affected by dementia, especially those who need greater support, can access high-quality care and live a meaningful life.

Through co-creation workshops and policy work, the network co-developed four priority areas for this funding round.

1. Raising public awareness and addressing stigma and social exclusion

2. Supporting families, friends, and unpaid carers

3. Building a compassionate, skilled, and supported workforce

4. Inclusive uses of technology (e.g., digital tools, online platforms, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence)

Raising public awareness of dementia runs through a number of the projects, through an intergenerational approach with ‘Seen and Heard’ and the memory suitcases from House of Memories, using creative approaches to connect across generations.

Ellie Robinson-Carter and Ronald Amanze’s project explores how radio and film can help people with dementia feel more visible, connected, and empowered. By pairing six people living with dementia with six young people in Brent, their team will facilitate workshops to support the co-creation of audio stories and short films. They are hoping this project will allow participants to express identity, share experiences across generations, and document their journeys through photography. Their project aims to highlight why creative media are powerful tools for wellbeing and community connection.

The House of Memories, a dementia awareness programme at National Museums Liverpool, takes a similar approach, using creative, non-clinical engagement with the dementia community. The project includes dementia awareness training, memory loan suitcases, the My House Memories app, and immersive community activities. The current focus is on refreshing resources for Caribbean and African elders in Liverpool, co-producing bilingual materials, and establishing ongoing community steering groups.

Manpreet Gill and the Dementia Adventure team are researching what makes their Green Letter Days so meaningful: walking cricket, relaxed golf, community picnics, co-designed experiences that bring joy and connection to people who are too often left out of traditional services.

The importance of community Meeting Centres sits alongside this. Shirley Evans is establishing the region’s first ever Meeting Centre in Northern Ireland, piloting at Green Island Golf Club, understanding what makes a real difference as a place of support and developing a model that can be scaled nationally.

Ensuring equitable access to digital resources runs throughout these projects as families from diverse ethnic backgrounds often face cultural and language barriers in accessing dementia services. Jo Morling and Neil Chadborn’s project will help more people access culturally relevant wellbeing activities through the Royal Voluntary Service’s Virtual Village Hall. The team will work with local communities to create new content that reflects different cultural backgrounds. These activities will be easy to use at home and especially helpful for families supporting someone with advanced dementia.

As dementia affects a person’s ability to manage everyday financial tasks, carers can face uncertainty about how and when to step in. Hang Le and Orii McDermott’s project will utilise interviews with both individuals with dementia and their informal carers, to understand challenges such as sensitive conversations about money, transferring financial control, and navigating complex financial systems. The findings will contribute to clearer, practical guidance to help supporters safeguard financial wellbeing at the right time.

Rasa Mikelyte and Esther Wiskerke are addressing an even less visible issue: intimacy and consent within relationships affected by dementia at home. Too often people struggle with this alone. This project will co-design an accessible booklet with people who have lived or professional experience, offering clear guidance on topics such as intimacy and dementia, consent, decision-making, and where to seek help.

Clare Ellis-Smith’s work on the IPOS-Dem Family tool sits alongside this. Clare and her team at King’s College London are co-designing a way for family carers to identify and manage symptoms and access the right support at the right time, intervening early enough to prevent distress and protect quality of life.

Throughout all of the projects runs a commitment to developing the resources and understanding needed for our health and social care workforce to provide compassionate and skilled care.

Next steps

Over the coming months, the project teams will host events across the UK, with support from the Network, to share their findings and engage with wider communities. We hope these events will act as a springboard for future work, helping projects build new collaborations, shape policy and care, and building on the Network’s vision to achieve greater equality in dementia care.

Find out more about the projects here.