Dementia Oxfordshire has been working with Dr Rene Wiedner from the University of Warwick, exploring the concept of ‘knowledge mobilisation’ in dementia support systems since 2020.
This recently culminated in a 2-day workshop (12/13 June) at Cosener’s House in Abingdon. Over 60 participants attended the event with representatives from a wide range of service providers and service users including people with a diagnosis.
The purpose of the workshop was to help build an evidence base to inform a major bid for funding to develop a ‘Participatory Action Research’ approach to evaluating how elements of dementia support systems work together and to develop approaches that are more collaborative and enable service users to understand and navigate the support that is available much more easily.
To ensure that service users voices were heard, the event included several sessions where carers and people with a diagnosis discussed their experiences of dementia, impact of a diagnosis on their lives, and their experiences of the support they had received, both positive and negative.
Delegates at the conference discussed:
- What is our perception of dementia support services in Oxfordshire?
- What are the barriers to improving the wellbeing of people living with dementia and their carers?
- What are the possible solutions to the barriers we have identified?
Dr Wiedner is now working with a steering group to evaluate the outputs from the event and other evidence that has been collected and we will share this soon.
The findings of the study will also be used to apply for funding for additional research, including implementing solutions in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. If Dr Wiedner is successful in his funding bid, this will mean that Oxfordshire is part of a major study that looks at how to improve dementia support, which can only be good news for future users of those services.
A ‘big thank you’ to everyone who gave up their time to take part in the event!
Event organisers:
Dr Rene Wiedner
Associate Professor
University of Warwick
Mr Peter Johnson
Head of Service
Dementia Oxfordshire
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