Valuing Active Life in Dementia (VALID)

About the project

We are looking at the possible benefits of a programme of occupational therapy for people who have been diagnosed with dementia and those who regularly support them.

Maintaining both everyday and interesting pleasurable activities can be difficult for people with dementia and those who support them. Occupational therapists assist people to continue participating in activities despite the difficulties that they might be experiencing. They do this by helping people try new ways of doing things and exploring new activities.

Examples include

• joining a local group (like a walking group, or a lunch club)

• continuing to work in the garden

• staying in touch with friends

• doing jobs around the house

Researchers in the Netherlands found that providing this occupational therapy programme could benefit both the person with dementia and their supporter. It was also shown to be a good use of money.

The UK research team have developed a similar occupational therapy programme to meet the needs of people living in this country. We are now testing whether this UK programme is beneficial. We are carrying out a randomised controlled trial of the clinical and cost effectiveness of the Community Occupational Therapy in Dementia – UK intervention.

Publications

• Hynes, S. et al. (2015) 'Exploring the need for a new UK occupational therapy intervention for people with dementia and family carers: Community Occupational Therapy in Dementia (COTiD). A focus group study', Aging and Mental Health. DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2015.1037243

• Swinson, T. et al. (2016) 'Community occupational therapy for people with dementia and their family carers: A national survey of United Kingdom occupational therapy practice', British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(2), pp. 85–91.

• Wenborn, J. et al. (2016) 'Community occupational therapy for people with dementia and family carers (COTiD-UK) versus treatment as usual (Valuing Active Life in Dementia [VALID] programme): Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial', Trials, 17:65. DOI: 10.1186/s13063-015-1150-y

• Di Bona, L., Wenborn, J., Field, B., Hynes, S. M., Ledgerd, R., Mountain, G., Swinson, T. (2017) 'Enablers and challenges to occupational therapists' research engagement: A qualitative study', British Journal of Occupational Therapy.

VALID website

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