IDEAL: Improving the Experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life

The IDEAL Programme comprises the largest studies of living well with dementia in Great Britain. The evidence collected will enable the development of new policy, interventions and initiatives to transform the lives of people with dementia and their carers.

The IDEAL Programme has been developed through two phases, IDEAL and IDEAL 2. Additional spin-off work focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with dementia and their carers in the IDEAL COVID-19 Dementia Initiative and the linked INCLUDE study. The programme is supported by the ALWAYs group, an advisory group consisting of people with dementia and carers, who help to guide the research.

IDEAL 2014-2019

While the concept of ‘living well’ with the condition was prioritised in Government policy there was a need for a clear definition of what this really means and what might influence the ability of individuals and families to live well. 

The IDEAL team used both quantitative methods (measuring things numerically) and qualitative methods (talking to people to get an in-depth understanding) to find out what supports or hinders the ability of people and their families to live well with any type of dementia or similar problems, and how this changes over time as dementia progresses. Researchers visited people with dementia and carers taking part in IDEAL when they first joined the study, and again one and two years later. 

The evidence gathered by the IDEAL team suggested what kinds of changes could be made by individuals, families and communities to enable people to live well with dementia. IDEAL released recommendations and an action plan for social and health care purchasers, providers and planners, and advice and guidance for people with dementia or memory problems and those who support them. Access the IDEAL summary findings.

IDEAL was funded by ESRC and NIHR. INCLUDE was funded by ESRC.

IDEAL-2 2018-2022

IDEAL-2 builds on the unique resource of IDEAL, following the IDEAL participants for three further time-points to gain an understanding of their experiences over a total 6-year period as the condition progresses. The team are also conducting additional work to gather the perspectives of people from ‘seldom heard’ groups.

IDEAL-2 is funded by Alzheimer’s Society as a Centre of Excellence.

The IDEAL Webinar Series 2022-2023

This series of free public webinars gives us the chance to share our findings with you. We hope they will have wide appeal and look forward to welcoming you.

All webinars will:
• involve experts by experience as well as researchers
• be recorded and later shared on our YouTube channel
• begin at five past the hour and end at five to, enabling you to get to and from other meetings
• provide an opportunity for audience Q&A

All webinars will take place on Zoom.

Webinar Schedule

(click on links to book)

Tuesday 14th March 2023, 14:00-15:00

Staying active with dementia: A roundtable discussion

Friday 21st April 2023, 14:00-15:00

Assistive technology and dementia

Get in touch with us with any questions at IDEAL@exeter.ac.uk.

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Brave New World – a song of hope about living with dementia