Hospital patients with dementia and other causes of confusion have longer stays and worse treatment outcomes than people without the condition, research led by the University of Stirling has found. The research is the first large population-based study to prove that people with confusion caused by dementia or delirium, have…

Healthcare provision to residents in care homes across England is often ‘erratic and inequitable’, a major three-year study funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) has found. Led by the University of Hertfordshire, and involving Professor Julienne Meyer CBE from City, University of London, the Optimal study found…

Person-centred activities combined with just one hour a week of social interaction can improve quality of life and reduce agitation for people with dementia living in care homes, while saving money. These are the findings from a large-scale trial led by the University of Exeter, King’s College London and Oxford…

Ninety people who are living with dementia and their carers from across north Wales, have contributed to new research findings which have shown that personalised cognitive rehabilitation therapy can help people with early stage dementia to significantly improve their ability to engage in important everyday activities and tasks. The large-scale…

One night of disturbed sleep increases levels of a brain protein linked to Alzheimer's disease, research has shown. A week of tossing and turning boosts another molecule implicated in the destruction of brain cells, the same study found. Increasing evidence suggests an association between poor sleep and a greater risk…

Treatment with the "cuddle" hormone oxytocin can improve the social abilities of some children with autism, research has shown. Scientists used a nasal spray to administer the hormone or an inactive "dummy" placebo to 32 autistic children twice daily for a month. Children who had the lowest natural levels of…

Poor sleep may increase the chances of people at risk of Alzheimer's developing the disease, a study has shown. Scientists conducted spinal fluid tests on 101 people with an average age of 63 who had a family history of Alzheimer's or carried a gene linked to the condition. Participants who…

Want to find sector information information quickly and easily? It can be cumbersome having to visit numerous websites to find the information that you need. The National Social Services Search attempts to make searching life easy for people and make the information landscape a little easier to navigate. Iriss, in…

A new research project led by academics at the University of Sheffield will examine potential sustainable solutions to the ongoing crisis within the UK’s social care system. With an ageing population, shortages of staff in home and residential care, and growing reliance on unpaid carers, the question of how to…

A performance by a talented pianist Derek Paravicini heralded the first event for the newly created Centre for Autism at the University of Reading. Performing a mixture of classical and contemporary pieces, Paravicini wowed the conference with his playing ability, and spoke about how having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affected…

New research involving the University of Portsmouth is aiming to develop robots to help children with autism in ways humans can’t. The Development of Robot-Enhanced therapy for children with AutisM spectrum disorders (DREAM) project will design robots that can operate autonomously and help the therapist to improve the child’s social…

A consultation on a proposed five-year social care research and development strategy for Wales has opened today – and the authors would like your views about it. The national strategy sets out a vision in which Wales is “internationally renowned for its excellent social care research that supports the people…