Making Wales a dementia-friendly nation means investing in research to improve health and social care, says Minister for Social Services and Public Health, Rebecca Evans.
The Minister visited the Health and Care Research Wales Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research in Singleton Park, part of Swansea University and met with researchers to discuss their work.
Rebecca Evans said:
“The Welsh Government invests £43 million annually in health and social care research, including over half a million pounds in the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, because we are committed to using research to improve health and social care in Wales.
“Dementia research, and using that research to shape services for Wales’ ageing population is particularly important and I am encouraged that Welsh researchers are working to create a world-class research centre here in Singleton Park.
“I met some committed researchers who are working hard to tackle some of the key issues – from the environment for people living with dementia, to the genetics behind Alzheimer’s Disease. Their work will help to make a difference to health and social care and to many people affected by dementia.”
Professor. Vanessa Burholt, Director of Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research said:
“I was delighted that the Minister visited CADR as it as it shows that the WG is committed to this vital area of research.
“I am immensely proud of the progress that CADR has made in the first year, and during her visit I had the opportunity to explain to the Minister the latest developments in the Centre.
“We have already established Join Dementia Research in Wales; obtained European funding for a Cost Action Reducing Old-Age Social Exclusion with 30 partner countries; received Catalyst funding from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, New Zealand to develop a project on Ageing, housing and health; embarked on an evaluation of cARTrefu – arts in care settings; and started to develop the largest sample in the world of DNA and phenotypic questionnaire data for 4,000 people with early onset Alzheimer’s disease.
“I think that the Minister enjoyed a brief flavour of the intellectual and cultural ‘buzz’ which is a distinctive feature of the Centre.”
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