A collaboration including partners from MindTech, the Institute of Mental Health’s Centre for Dementia and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust features in a new practical guide to designing products for and with people living with dementia.

The MinD project – Designing for people with Dementia – was a collaboration of researchers, care professionals and design staff from across Europe, which is now continuing as a network. Its mission is to promote design as a key tool to improve the health and wellbeing of those affected by dementia.

Together they have developed a collection of design and research tools, some of which feature, along with the contribution of other experts, in ‘Dementia and co-creation: A practical guide to designing products and services’ published by the Alzheimer’s Society in May 2022.

MindTech’s Dr Michael Craven, Principal Research Fellow, says:

“I am pleased to see the work from our EU collaboration included in this guide by the Alzheimer’s Society. Since the end of the MinD programme in 2019 we have endeavoured to transfer the knowledge gained into accessible resources. This includes several booklets on co-design techniques, a board game, and a forthcoming book. The project partners are also meeting regularly to continue the collaboration as a network.”

Resources from the MinD project can be found in the section ‘How can you co-create effectively’ on page 30 of the new guide. All published resources from the project are available here: https://designingfordementia.eu/resources.

MinD was funded under grant agreement ID: 691001 as a Research Innovation and Staff Exchange (RISE) initiative funded through the Horizon H2020-EU.1.3 - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme.