This site is under construction
The Helpdesk Psychosocial Support in Dementia originates from the Helpdesk Meeting Centres for People with Dementia, which was started in 2004 to help spread the Meeting Centres in the Netherlands for people with dementia and their carers. This Helpdesk provides practical advice to care and welfare organizations that have the intention of initiating a meeting centre in their own region.
The Helpdesk Meeting Centres also receives many questions about the psychosocial support of people with dementia, both in the home situation and in care institutions. For years VUmc and VU researchers have been conducting many different studies of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia and their carers, for example studies on emotion-oriented care in nursing homes, needs studies among community-dwelling people with dementia, quality of life in dementia studies, research into domotics and other types of assistive technologies, telephone-based support for carers and psychomotor exercise programmes.
As a result VUmc and VU have acquired an impressive expertise in the field of psychosocial support in dementia. In view of the many questions that have emerged from actual practice and the research field, and the resulting increased amount of work for the Meeting Centres Helpdesk, a separate Helpdesk Psychosocial support in dementia has now been developed, that also has a broader goal than the Meeting Centres Helpdesk.
Helpdesk Psychosocial Support in Dementia aims to inform and advise people with dementia, informal carers and professionals, care organizations and policymakers on effective types of psychosocial support in dementia. In this way the Helpdesk Psychosocial Support in Dementia wants to contribute towards the dissemination of knowledge about these effective interventions and to facilitate the nationwide implementation of psychosocial interventions in dementia care.
Providing information, developing and disseminating implementation materials and offering practical advice are core activities of the Helpdesk Psychosocial Support in Dementia.
Information: This website presents an overview of effective psychosocial support methods. References to specific studies clarifying the methods used to determine the effects of the interventions are provided for each separate method. This overview is based on existing literature reviews and supplemented with research carried out at VUmc and VU. We have also included links to other relevant websites in the field of psychosocial support in dementia.
Development and dissemination of information [in development]: Information materials were developed to further the implementation of methods of psychosocial support. Interested parties can order these materials from the Helpdesk or, if necessary, the Helpdesk can put you in touch with the researchers to get these materials.
Practical advice/consulting: Professionals, care and welfare organizations, policymakers, and people with dementia and informal carers who have questions about the effectiveness of psychosocial support methods and their application or implementation, can contact the Helpdesk for advice.
The Helpdesk can be reached by telephone on Thursday, Wednesday and Friday between 10.00 AM and 5.00 PM on +31-(0)204446049, or via e-mail hg.vanderroest@vumc.nl .
It is also possible to make an appointment with a senior consultant or the project leader.
Prof.dr. R.M. (Rose-Marie) Dröes
Dr. H.G. (Henriëtte) van der Roest
Drs. M.A. (Maggie) Oattes