TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE


SCALING DEMENTIA CARE TECHNOLOGY


To truly tackle the dementia challenge, we must change the conversation around how we treat the disease. Devika Wood, CEO of Brain+, explores how technology offers us a way to do this.


Drug-based therapies are not the whole story in dementia care. Clinically proven non-drug therapies like Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST), which are effective in delaying cognitive decline, do exist – but people simply don’t know about them. It’s time for that to change.


The government’s recent NHS 10-year plan rightly identified dementia as a national health priority. For the estimated 982,00 people living with dementia in the UK, it’s clear we need a robust strategy that matches the scale of the challenge we are up against.


Whilst the government’s plan makes important commitments to research, diagnosis, and the use of digital technology to improve access to therapies and alleviate NHS pressures, there was a glaring omission – one that risks leaving behind the very people it is designed to support.


Existing therapies already proven in dementia care, like CST, are remarkably absent from the national conversation. This is a serious oversight. CST is the only non-drug therapy for mild to moderate dementia recommended by NICE, and is proven to delay cognitive decline by four to six months. Unless we address this awareness gap, the care system will continue to fall short for the hundreds of thousands of people with dementia living in care homes today.


As a former young carer for my Nani, who lived with dementia for 12 years – and having spent my career working on developing technology to improve healthcare outcomes – I’ve seen first-hand how impactful compassionate, human-centred care can be. The future of dementia care must combine evidence-based therapies and digital innovation to better support the thousands of people living with dementia now.


That’s why at Brain+, we’ve built the world’s first digital CST assistant, Ayla, to enable the delivery of best-in-class dementia care at scale.


CST: A CLINICALLY PROVEN BUT UNDERUSED SOLUTION


CST was developed in the UK in the late 1990s by a leading group of researchers at University College London. It’s a group-based therapy that uses themed activities to stimulate different parts of the brain, helping to delay cognitive decline and improve memory, mood, and communication. It’s also been shown to reduce anxiety, apathy, and aggression in people with Alzheimer’s disease – all without the side effects so commonly experienced with drug-based therapies. These are potentially life-changing improvements for people living with dementia, their families, and their carers.


CST is endorsed across 39 countries, including by NICE, Alzheimer’s Disease International and the World Health Organisation. Its value is clear, yet its adoption remains low.


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Barriers such as preparation time, staff training, and logistical challenges, like ensuring the continuity of delivery, make CST difficult to implement at scale. As a result, many care home residents living with dementia are missing out on this proven intervention that could not only delay cognitive decline, but also improve their quality of life through a person-centred approach to care. That’s where technology can help.


TECHNOLOGY IN THE CHANGING CARE LANDSCAPE


In 2024, the adult social care staff vacancy rate was 8.1% – the third highest since data collection began in 2012. Workforce shortages, growing care needs, and time constraints mean that care providers are under more pressure than ever, oſten causing proven interventions like CST to fall by the wayside.


By investing in scalable, cost-effective, and evidence-based digital solutions to alleviate staff pressures and support care delivery, providers can ensure that people living with dementia (and those who care for them) receive better support, better tools, and, above all, better outcomes.


When designed and implemented correctly, technology can remove existing barriers to care, empowering carers with the confidence, structure, and flexibility they need to deliver consistent, high-quality care without adding to their workload.


DIGITAL CST FOR BEST-IN-CLASS DEMENTIA CARE


In a sector where compassion and familiarity are so important, digital tools shouldn’t replace human connection but enhance it by


www.tomorrowscare.co.uk


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