5 things every healthcare professional should know about Join Dementia Research

Authored by Professor Paresh Malhotra, NIHR Research Delivery Network National Specialty Lead for Dementia and Neurodegeneration

Healthcare professionals play a crucial role in helping people access dementia research.

For many patients and families, a conversation with a healthcare professional may be the first time they hear about taking part in research. Join Dementia Research helps people find studies that may be just right for them. This is why it is important for healthcare professionals to know what Join Dementia Research is and how the service can be used.

Here are 5 things I think every healthcare professional should know about the service.

1. You don't need to have dementia to sign up

A common misconception is that you need to have dementia to take part in dementia research.

You don't.

Join Dementia Research is open to UK residents aged 18 and over, including people with and without dementia. Researchers often work with people who have a family history of dementia or with people who have no personal history of dementia. Carers and people who support someone with dementia can also get involved.

This means Join Dementia Research may be relevant to more people than you might think.

2. Signing up doesn't mean agreeing to take part in a study

Joining the service means registering a general interest in taking part in dementia research.

The details a person provides can help match them with studies that may be suitable. A research team may then contact them to explain what the study involves.

It is always the participant's choice whether to take part. They can say no to a study and still hear about other opportunities in the future. This is a really important point to explain to patients who may be unsure about signing up.

3. Dementia research isn't just about new medicines

People often think dementia research means testing new drugs. But there is much more to it.

Studies look at how we prevent, diagnose and treat dementia. They also explore how we improve care and support for people living with dementia and their families.

Research can involve anything from completing a questionnaire or having a brain scan to taking part in a clinical trial of a new treatment.

Explaining this can help patients see that there are many different ways to get involved.

4. You don't need to be a researcher to help

Every healthcare professional can help raise awareness of dementia research.

You can talk to patients and families about research and signpost them to Join Dementia Research. You can also display posters and leaflets in your service. Free resources are available in our online shop to help support your conversations with patients.

You don't need to know about every dementia study or have all the answers to patients' questions.

Sometimes, simply making someone aware that the opportunity exists is enough to get them started.

5. You can build your confidence in talking about research

Talking about research may not come easily to everyone. Support is available to help.

The free Having Confident Conversations about Join Dementia Research e-learning course is designed for health and care professionals. It explains how the service works and offers tips for talking about dementia research.

Our role as healthcare professionals is not to persuade people to take part. It is to give them as clear information as we can so they can make their own choice.

Start the conversation

Healthcare professionals are in a vitally important position to help make dementia research more accessible.

And starting that conversation doesn't need to be complicated.

It could begin with one simple question:

"Would you like to make a difference to the future of dementia?"

Visit Join Dementia Research for healthcare professionals to find more information, support and resources to help you get involved.