The University of Plymouth dementia group

Transforming the lives of people with dementia

One in three people over the age of 65 will develop dementia. In England in 2012, 670,000 people have dementia. This number will double in the next 30 years. Among the over-55s, dementia is feared more than any other illness and at an estimated 23 billion pounds a year, the cost to our economy is huge. It is estimated that this is higher than the costs of cancer, heart disease or stroke.

Our research focuses on community attitudes and behaviour change towards individuals with dementia and their carers, inequalities and differences between urban and rural dementia-friendly communities, and the impact of interventions on the wellbeing of individuals with dementia and their carers.

 

<p>Countryside</p>
RURAL DEMENTIA: Farming, Dementia and Networks of Care was the first project of its kind to focus specifically on farming communities and dementia. Read press release
Airport arrivals
DEMENTIA AIR TRANSPORT GROUP: Influencing and developing guidelines on hidden disabilities at airports. Read press release
<p>Dementia Friendly image</p>
PLYMOUTH DEMENTIA ACTION ALLIANCE (PDAA): Working in partnership to make the city dementia friendly. Dementia Friendly Community of the Year
National Memory Day
Celebrating the power of poetry and the positive impact of creative engagement with those affected by memory loss. NATIONAL MEMORY DAY
<p> Angela Rippon CBE, Chair of the 6th Plymouth Dementia Conference <br></p>
PLYMOUTH DEMENTIA CONFERENCE: An annual conference showcasing innovative dementia projects from Europe and the UK. Find out more

More projects

International connections

Ian Sherriff

As Academic Partnership Lead for Dementia at the University of Plymouth Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, Ian Sherriff has been involved in numerous projects designed to improve the lives of people with dementia. His work includes an ambition to support communities to become more dementia-friendly. In particular he is passionate about supporting rural communities to better support people with dementia.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said:

“Ian has been, and remains, one of the foremost champions for our cause. We are therefore delighted to welcome Ian as a new member of our Ambassador team. The knowledge and experience that he brings is invaluable and over the years he has built up significant networks with people with dementia and their carers and families, volunteers, politicians, journalists, academics and health and social care professionals."

Ian Sherriff's conference key notes and key publicity events December 2016 to December 2017

December 2016  - Lead the Cambridge Carol service

December 2016  - Lead the Stonehouse first dementia friendly carol service

17 January 2017 - South West Dementia group Taunton Rugby club

19t January 2017 - Virgin Air - Crawly dementia friendly airlines

24 January 2017 - Live BBC Radio stations Reading, Leicester and Devon Q and A live on air

Lead a delegation to negotiate with the full board and unions of Royal Mail in becoming early alerters in Rural communities. Full agreement by board and unions

30 January 2017 - Received the award of National Dementia City of the year form the Lord Mayor of Plymouth at the full council meeting

8 February 2017 - Key note speaker at the assisted technology conference

14 February 2017 - Key note speaker East Grinstead dementia awareness day

18 February 2017 - Key note speaker Tokyo, Japan national dementia conference

19 February 2017 - Key note speaker Osaka Japan national dementia conference

3 March 2017 - Key note speaker at regional solicitor’s conference

4 March 2017 - Key note speaker at the regional Rotary conference

6-24 March 2017 - Key note and teaching to delegations from China and Macau in Plymouth

18 March 2017 - Key address at the Argyle board group

24 March 2017 - Key note speaker and organiser of the Plymouth International Dementia conference

24 March 2017 - Live Radio and TV at the Plymouth International Dementia conference  

28 March 2017 - Key note at Nottingham dementia awareness day

30 March 2017 - Key note at Durham dementia awareness day

5 April 2017 - Key note at Weston-Super-Mare dementia conference

26 April 2017 - Key note speaker at the National Association of local Councils, Farnborough

Key note speaker at the South and South West Conference Newbury race course

26 April 2017 - Key note at National Association of Local Councils dementia conference

27 April 2017 - Key note speaker at Newbury race course preforming art’s council dementia event

4 May 2017 - Key note speaker at South Devon Collage Health and Social care day

11 May 2017 - Key Note speaker at the Churches together dementia conference

National Dementia conference London member of a panel. The panel, which was chaired by journalist and presenter Bill Turnbull, also included Professor Bart De Strooper (Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute), Professor Sir Malcolm Grant (Chairman of NHS England)

15 May 2017 - Key note speaker at the Bridgewater dementia conference

13 June 2017 -  Key note speaker the Biomedical conference, Plymouth University

21 June 2017 - Key note speaker at South West Dental conference,Taunton

4 July2017 - Key note speaker Dementia conference, Exeter

2 July 2017 - Key note speaker Swansea dementia conference

4 September 2017 -  Key note speaker dental conference Cornwall

5 September 2017 -  Key note speaker Rural Services Network conference, Cheltenham

8 September 2017 - Key note speaker Somerset C.C.G Dementia conference, Yeovil

11-12 September 2017 - Key note and panel member for Prime Minister’s National Youth and Dementia conference, London

18 September 2017 - Key note speaker Scams and Dementia conference , Plymouth Guildhall

19 September 2017 - Key Note speaker Dementia conference, Dorchester

14 October 2017 - Key note speaker Rotary International Dementia conference, Plymouth

9-11 December 2017 -  Key note and compare Oxford Christmas Carol service, Oxford Christ Church


People

Coming Back to Me

Written by poet Karen Hayes, using lines contributed by people whose lives have been touched by dementia; read here by researchers, poets and supporters of the National Memory Day Project.

At the launch of National Memory Day, we asked you to create a poem inspired by your own experiences of dementia. The first line was contributed by Sir Andrew Motion, President of National Memory Day and former Poet Laureate.

This is what you created.

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