Dementia Research UK

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Dementia Research UK

Because every memory matters. We are advancing dementia research for a brighter future.

10/10/2026

"I honestly feel it's shocking that in this country at the moment, one in three people with dementia never get a diagnosis."

Professor Nick Fox from UCL hears it from families all the time: a really painful journey of GP appointments, being told maybe it's the menopause, maybe it's depression. Even those who are diagnosed are often just told "dementia", and never find out which disease is causing it.

"Can you imagine going and seeing your doctor and being told you've got cancer, but no more information about what type, where it is?"

If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. Hear Nick and Professor June Andrews talk about what's starting to change in the full episode of Inside Dementia. 💙

Watch here 👉 https://ow.ly/bSSl50ZWq2H

09/10/2026

"People with cognitive problems, with problems with their memory and thinking should not be dismissed as, "oh, that's just age, what do you expect?" And that used to be the story, all too often. These are devastating illnesses.."

In episode 6 of Inside Dementia, Nick talks to Professor June Andrews about why getting answers is still so hard, and what's starting to change.

If you're waiting for a diagnosis, or you're worried about dementia in your family, it's worth 16 minutes. You'll hear:

👉 why a specific diagnosis matters
👉 why guidelines say you should have a brain scan, and why many people don't get one
👉 how a simple blood test could change diagnosis
👉 what family history really means for your risk

He also shares research supported by Dementia Research UK that cuts an MRI scan from 30 minutes to six or seven. That means far more people could get one. Your donations helped make that possible. 💙

Watch the full episode: https://ow.ly/gGej50ZVPVw

05/10/2026

Dementia research is moving fast. Keeping up with what matters can be tricky.

Research for Every Step is Dementia Research UK's new newsletter, following our recent campaign.

It covers new findings, from earlier diagnosis to prevention and end-of-life care, and hears from people on the ground doing the work. No jargon and no hype. Just what's changing and why it matters.

If you work in the field or you're just interested in where research is heading, sign up today 💙

👉 https://ow.ly/67FT50ZUzQq

02/10/2026

Imagine your mum's memory assessment, and you're the one asked to interpret.

In a new UK study, clinicians said families from ethnic-minority communities are being expected to do this, despite the risks to accuracy, confidentiality and the person's own voice.

They also described people reaching memory services later, sometimes after a crisis, and tests that don't always work across languages and cultures.

That isn't people "presenting late". It's services not reaching them soon enough.

Research must ask who diagnosis, treatment and support really work for, and that includes listening to families next. 💙

What would help your community get dementia support sooner?

Find out more: https://ow.ly/f2eq50ZTvGB

01/10/2026

What does it mean to finally understand what is happening when someone you love is experiencing symptoms of dementia?

“You can remove some of that devastating uncertainty.”

In Episode 6 of Inside Dementia, Professor Nick Fox from UCL joins Professor June Andrews to talk about why a clear diagnosis matters so much for people and their families.

They explore why getting answers can take so long, what a family history of dementia means, and how research could help improve diagnosis, from blood tests to faster brain scans.

Nick also shares how support from Dementia Research UK has helped research into shorter MRI scans, making the experience more comfortable and potentially allowing more people to be assessed.

Your support helps make this work possible. 💙

Episode 6 of Inside Dementia is coming soon! 🎙️

30/09/2026

What would you want dementia research to make possible for you or someone you love?

Understanding what could help reduce your risk and getting the support to put that knowledge into practice? Getting a diagnosis sooner? Being able to keep doing something you enjoy? Knowing where to turn when caring becomes difficult?

Throughout September, Research for Every Step has explored why research matters across the whole dementia journey, from prevention and risk reduction to end-of-life care and bereavement.

In this short video, Professor June Andrews brings the campaign to a close with a reflection on the people at the heart of it.

But the questions continue. What barriers make it harder for people to reduce their risk? What support is still missing? And how can what we learn through research reach the people who need it?

Thank you to our partners, contributors and everyone who has watched, shared and joined the conversation. 💙

Watch June’s closing reflection and tell us: what change would make the biggest difference to you?

The campaign is ending.

Our commitment to research for every step continues.

29/09/2026

When someone you love dies, so much of everyday life can change. 😞

If you’ve been caring for someone with dementia, you may also miss the routines you shared, the sense of being needed and the plans you had together.

Being told to “take care of yourself” doesn’t always help you know where to begin.

Our partner My Grief My Way offers personal stories, information and practical exercises to support people after bereavement.

Built on research, professional knowledge and bereaved people’s experiences, the resource offers ways to understand difficult thoughts and feelings, be kinder to yourself and reconnect with what matters to you.

You can start with something that feels helpful and return to the stories and exercises for practice and support as your needs change.

Dementia Research UK is proud to support this work. Understanding grief and what helps people live with it, is a vital part of supporting families affected by dementia.

As World Alzheimer’s Month draws to a close, our Research for Every Step campaign carries an important reminder: the need for support does not end when caring does. 💙

Explore My Grief My Way, or share it with someone who might find it helpful:
👉 https://ow.ly/hgVf50ZSy9V

26/09/2026

End-of-life care for people living with dementia has long been shaped by a reluctance to name what dementia actually is: a progressive, terminal condition.

That reluctance had consequences.

👉 Repeated hospital admissions.
👉 Invasive investigations in someone's final months, sometimes with little benefit.
👉 Pain going untreated because the person could no longer describe it.

Research is steadily changing the picture. We now have better indicators of advanced disease, observational tools that read pain through facial expression and body language, and strong evidence that advance care planning helps people shape their own care while they still have capacity.

Funding this kind of work, including palliative care research at the Cicely Saunders Institute, King's College London, is part of why we exist.

Prof. June Andrews has written about where the research has got to, and why it matters for families.

https://ow.ly/XHKx50ZQ61m

25/09/2026

Grief doesn’t follow a timetable. And it doesn’t always begin with a death 😔

For people living with dementia and those close to them, grief can accompany changes in everyday life, relationships, independence or plans for the future.

Those feelings deserve understanding and support throughout the journey.

The My Grief My Way online resource focuses specifically on bereavement after someone has died.

Sometimes it helps to hear from someone who has been through a loss too. Sometimes you’re not ready for that.

Developed by a team at The University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with bereaved people and support organisations, the resource brings together personal stories, information about grief and practical exercises.

You can begin with whatever feels helpful and take your time.

It’s designed to be returned to, whether you want to practice an exercise, revisit something that helped or find support as your needs change.

Dementia Research UK is proud to support this project and the research helping the team understand what people find useful.

Our 'Research for Every Step' campaign recognises that people’s needs change throughout the dementia journey. Research has a role in understanding those needs and improving support, including through bereavement.

If this could help you or someone you know, explore My Grief My Way or save for another day. 💙

https://ow.ly/5G2450ZRmj9

24/09/2026

What happens when asking for help feels like showing weakness?

For some veterans worried about their memory, that can be a barrier to seeking dementia support.

In the latest episode of Inside Dementia: Expert Dialogues, Associate Professor Michele Board from Bournemouth University joins Professor June Andrews to discuss how research can help us understand and respond appropriately to those barriers.

Michele shares the work of SERVED, a project supported by Dementia Research UK that puts veterans’ experiences at the heart of research.

Through creative workshops, conversations and shared activities, the team is exploring what matters to veterans living with dementia and the people caring for them.

Their conversation covers:
- How military identity and stigma can influence whether someone seeks help.
- The camaraderie and connection that shared experience can offer.
- Why veterans and their carers need a voice in shaping support.

It’s a thoughtful example of what Research for Every Step means in practice. Listening to people whose needs can be overlooked, and funding work that responds to their lives.

Thank you to Michele, June and the Bournemouth University team for sharing this work.

🎙️ Watch the full episode here 👉 https://ow.ly/abVR50ZQF9S

Please share with colleagues working in dementia care, research or support for the armed forces community 💙

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