Dementia is a condition which is increasing amongst the general population. In the UK, approximately 982,000 people are living with dementia and this figure is predicted to increase to 1.4 million by 2040 (Alzheimer's Society, 2024).
Research suggests that military people and veterans are at higher risk of developing dementia due their increased exposure to potential risk factors, such traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
However, little research has been undertaken to explore the needs of this population. This project, funded by Dementia Research UK, aims to find out more about the experiences of veterans with dementia and their support needs.
By working collaboratively with veterans and stakeholders, we aim to raise awareness for this community, working together to identify their unique experiences, challenges, and priority areas for future research.
Exploring the experiences of veterans with dementia
Music taking place as part of the workshopsThe project was developed to explore the experiences of veterans living with dementia using a collaborative approach throughout a series of creative workshops.
The workshops involved various activities including cooking, drumming, instant theatre, art and singing. Throughout the workshops, the research team participated in activities alongside veterans and their carers whilst also having conversations about their lived experiences and inviting them to share their stories.
During these workshops, we invited the group to speak about their experiences of being a veteran living with dementia. We aimed to explore their experiences with a view to identifying future support and research priorities for this community.
This involved initial conversations with veterans about the project ideas through to creating a documentary-style film which puts the voices of the veterans at the forefront to tell their stories.
Sharing their stories
Workshop attendeesVeterans and their carers were invited to share their stories during the workshops. At the end of the workshop series, we invited participants to talk in further detail about their experiences.
These interviews, combined with clips of the activities, were featured in the short documentary film. The aim of the project and this film is to give veterans living with dementia a voice by presenting their stories in a meaningful way.
The film
Continuing the discussion
Stakeholder eventFollowing the end of the workshops, an event was hosted at Bournemouth University inviting key stakeholders and participating veterans and carers to come together.
At this event, the documentary film was presented to stimulate discussions around this important topic, identifying support and future research priorities for this community.
A 5-D appreciative enquiry approach was used to structure the event, where attendees where invited to participate in group discussions around five key focus points: Define, Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver.
A report detailing the stakeholder event can be accessed below.