Dementia

Research scientists at University College London, University of East Anglia and ETH Zurich have been working with computer game developers Glitchers to transform a smartphone app into a virtual reality (VR) game to enable some of the most detailed investigations into dementia, reports the BBC. At the end of 2016 at the Neuroscience conference, scientists presented findings from the world’s largest dementia research experiment. The game has indicated the ability to spot declines in an individual throughout their life and spot the early signs of Alzheimer’s. Nearly three million-people downloaded the game, Sea Hero Quest, which is a nautical adventure whereby players captain a boat and have the challenge of using their sense of direction to chart a course, memorise...Read More

Solutions are, of course, comprehensively explored on how to assist people with dementia to live more comfortable lives at home for longer. Keeping sufferers happy within their four walls, however, is not the only answer and finding ways to help them venture further afield is also important. Recent statistics from Alzheimer’s Research UK reveal that by 2040 the number of people expected to have dementia is to quadruple, with 59,199 to 219,409 more people needing palliative care from the disease. Finland, Sweden, Denmark rank above the UK on the list of countries that have the highest rate of deaths from dementia, with Belgium and the Netherlands even higher. Dementia, and the quality of care available for sufferers, is very much...Read More