The veteran community can face distinct challenges related to their military service, such as exposure to traumatic events, increased risk of certain types of dementia, and unique healthcare needs. These experiences can also mean increased exposure to risk factors for dementia.
Dementia affects over 982,000 people in the UK, a number expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, yet limited research exists on the experiences of veterans and access to dementia support in the UK.
Researchers at Bournemouth University’s Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) are looking to understand the experiences of military veterans and dementia. We are delighted to be working with Dementia Research UK who have funded this research.
Exploring lived experiences
The initial stages of this work were developed to explore the experiences of veterans living with dementia using a collaborative approach throughout a series of creative workshops.
Music workshop in actionParticipating veterans and their chosen support person took part in open conversations during the workshops, sharing personal experiences of living with dementia.
Workshop activities included art, drumming, cooking, instant theatre, and singing – which offered participants a safe, engaging space to share stories and connect.
Throughout the workshops, the research team also took part in all activities together with participants whilst having conversations about their lived experiences, putting their voices at the forefront of telling their stories.
Group Workshop photoListening to each person's story being shared in their own words was central to the project and allowed us to create a short film (approximately 10 minutes) that highlighted their true experiences, challenges, and ideas for future support.
During our conversations, we were privileged to hear their experiences and witness the camaraderie in the group from their shared experiences. A clear need for specific help for veterans was identified, touching upon difficulties in accessing appropriate support as well as factors that may encourage help-seeking.
The film can be accessed below or via YouTube, if you would like to see the film, please click the link below.
The film
Working with key stakeholders
After the workshops, we invited key stakeholders and participating veterans and carers to come together at Bournemouth University.
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:
Veterans with Dementia - Stakeholder Event report (pdf, 1.1mb)
Understanding barriers and enablers to support
Through conversations with participants and other fellow veterans during Phase 1, it was identified that there may be unique barriers facing veterans seeking support for memory-related concerns. A key finding of our initial work also supported this in the difficulty accessing veterans with a diagnosis of dementia during the project.
We are delighted to now continue this work to further explore potential barriers and enablers for veterans seeking support or diagnosis for dementia or memory-related concerns. If you would like to be involved in this research, please continue to the following section with further information.
Want to be involved?
We have two current invitations for military veterans to be involved in phase 2 of this research. We have an online survey, designed to take 5-10 minutes to complete, and a focus group to encourage deeper discussion within a group setting. Join us in giving a voice to veterans and informing future support for veterans living with dementia or memory-related concerns.
To take part in the survey, please follow this link or scan the QR code below: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/served-survey
If you are interested in taking part in one of our focus groups, please contact Rebecca Dew ([email protected]) or Dr Michele Board ([email protected]) for more information.
Want to know more?
To learn more about our work with veterans and how you might be able to get involved, please return to this page for further updates. For more information on this project and other research work at the ADRC, please contact us at [email protected]