A new package of care and support for people with dementia, called NIDUS-Family, has been shown to be cost-effective in providing personalized support at home. Researchers from Queen Mary University of London, in collaboration with UCL, conducted a randomized controlled trial that found the intervention significantly reduced costs associated with providing support to people with dementia.
Approximately 982,000 people in the UK have dementia, and the costs of providing dementia support across health and social care are expected to rise to £90 billion by 2040. The NIDUS-Family program is a goal-setting-based approach that focuses on practical changes people can make, such as increasing time spent in enjoyable activities or improving sleep.
The intervention was delivered via phone, video-call, or in-person and found to be effective whether the person with dementia and their family caregiver received it together or separately. A year after receiving the NIDUS-Family intervention, people who took part cost the NHS and social care £8,934 (37%) less on average than those who did not receive additional support.
The researchers believe that NIDUS-Family has the potential to be widely available within routine care due to its low-cost nature. The program is also seen as a game-changer for people with dementia, offering personalized support and tailored goals to improve day-to-day life and well-being.
This study aligns with a call from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) inquiry on dementia for a leveling up of diagnosis rates and care after a diagnosis. The findings highlight the need for high-quality post-diagnostic support services that are available more equitably across England.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-02-remotely-dementia-effective-solution-personalized.html