Jayne Sibley, creator of Sibstar, a debit card and mobile app for people with dementia backed by Dragons’ Den investors, joined the 6th annual Liverpool Dementia and Ageing Research Conference.
Hosted by the University of Liverpool, the conference brought together dementia and ageing experts from across Europe. At the event were health and social care professionals, charity providers, academics, students, and those with lived experience of dementia. Through talks and discussions, the one-day event sought to find collaborative solutions to the issues that affect one million people in the UK and 55 million people across the world.
As well as Jayne, Professor Adam Gordon from the British Geriatrics Society and Queen Mary University London was another keynote speaker. Professor Gordon reflected on the difficulties linking up social data care and the need to understand service use and needs of older adults. He introduced delegates to the NIHR-funded DACHA study (Developing research resources and minimum data set for care homes’ adoption and use).
Dr Clarissa Giebel, Senior Research Fellow in the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool and at the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast said: “It’s been fantastic to see our conference develop and grow over the last 6 years. This week’s event was yet another demonstration of the commitment to supporting those who live with dementia.
“I’d like to thank our keynote speakers for their time and sharing their insights. Their work is responding directly to the needs of people with dementia and their carers and hearing about their work was a great source of inspiration.”
More about Sibstar
Sibstar is a highly secure debit card and mobile phone app for families affected by dementia. The Sibstar debit card is for the person living with dementia. Their supporter can load the debit card with a chosen amount of money, and use the app to set spending limits, track purchases, and receive real time notifications.
More about dementia
One million people are living with dementia in the UK, with numbers continuing to increase. It is one of the main causes of disability later in life, ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Dementia is a global public health concern, which not only affects the person living with the condition, but also their family members and friends.
The annual conference is hosted by the Liverpool Dementia & Ageing Research Forum which was set up by the NIHR ARC NWC at the University of Liverpool in 2019. The Forum has grown rapidly, with national and international engagement. The event is also supported by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC).