New research trial looks at link between social cognitive skills and dementia

A new clinical program targets improving social cognitive impairments in older people recently diagnosed with dementia.

Aged-care provider Silverchain teamed up with UNSW's Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) and The University of Queensland to examine if improving the social cognitive skills of older adults could decelerate the progression of dementia.

“In the last three years, my work has shown that social relationships are very powerful and a protective factor against dementia,” lead UNSW researcher Dr Suraj Samtani told Aged Care Insite.

“We know that loneliness is very common in our society, and there are a lot of older adults who are isolated and lonely."

“The program will allow them to connect with others and help them stay socially and mentally active.”

Around 70 per cent of aged care residents lived with moderate to severe cognitive impairment, including dementia.

For the researchers involved, it was important to address the barriers and lack of services available in rural and regional Australia. 

“Initially, we wanted the program to be face-to-face,” said Dr Samtani. “But, because we started in 2020, everything was online, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.”

“Doing the program online allowed us to reach people in rural and regional communities, and this program will be rolled out with Silverchain.”

Silverchain has several services and facilities across rural and regional Australia. The company provides services to over 115,000 Australians. 

“Our intention is to train Silverchain’s care teams to provide the intervention as routine care to older Australians living at home,” Dr Samtani said.

Reducing the costs of dementia was one of the major issues this research will also address. Dementia affects over 400,000 in Australia, with an estimated cost of almost $3 billion. 

If effective, CHeBA will make this program freely available to all Australians.

“A manual, including the content, for how the program will run will be made freely available through our website,” Dr Samtani said.

“We will also roll it out to home aged care providers and health professionals in the aged-care sector.”

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