I-Can-Do: Developing Digital Accessibility For The Dementia Volunteer Service
Lead Research Organisation:
Manchester Metropolitan University
Department Name: Manchester School of Art Research Centre
Abstract
With rising numbers of cases, dementia is a key health priority. With no cure, there is a need for psychosocial interventions, especially at the early stages, to help people maintain their health, wellbeing and independence as long as possible. The challenge for supporting people at the early stages of dementia is in providing an individualised and tailored offer of activities in their local community that meets their interests and needs, that is not perceived at stigmatising, and that allows them to make a contribution for which they feel valued.
The IDoService offers such a novel and innovative programme. It supports people with a recent diagnosis of dementia in identifying, participating and contributing to social activities in their community by connecting them to local volunteer services. The Service is built around a core 3-session plan, delivered by the wellbeing mentor, which allows people to explore their strengths and interests, get to know what is available locally and to decide what they want to do in a safe and convivial way. We have successfully trialled the service with Age UK Salford in 2022. We propose now to develop an interactive digital version to make it more user-friendly and easily scalable.
The IDoService offers such a novel and innovative programme. It supports people with a recent diagnosis of dementia in identifying, participating and contributing to social activities in their community by connecting them to local volunteer services. The Service is built around a core 3-session plan, delivered by the wellbeing mentor, which allows people to explore their strengths and interests, get to know what is available locally and to decide what they want to do in a safe and convivial way. We have successfully trialled the service with Age UK Salford in 2022. We propose now to develop an interactive digital version to make it more user-friendly and easily scalable.
| Description | The final outcomes include: 1. The full I-Can-Do Service model to support people with early-stage dementia into volunteering, including a revised version of the ICanDo Service guide and workbook to support the delivery of the service. 2. The outcomes of the ICanDoService Pilot. 3. The digital prototype to support the delivery of the service. 4. A roadmap for realising the Service Implementation. |
| Exploitation Route | We aim to use the outcomes of this funding to develop the ICanDo Volunteer Service further until full realisation of the service is achieved to enable people living with early stage dementia to benefit from volunteering and associated activities, and we are working with a dementia organisation on this. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Healthcare Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism |
| URL | http://www.icandoservice.co.uk |
| Description | The service pilot has supported people living with dementia with their wellbeing. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Title | I-Can-Do : Developing Digital Accessibility for the Dementia Volunteer Service using Co-Design, 2023-2024 |
| Description | DATA DESCRIPTION (ABSTRACT) Dementia is a key health priority. With no cure, there is a need for psychosocial interventions at the early stages, to help people maintain their health, wellbeing and independence as long as possible. The ICanDo Service allows people living with mild dementia to plan, connect with and participate in tailored volunteering opportunities to realise themselves and stay connected to the society. While we successfully trialled the service in 2022, we identified two shortcomings: 1. The previous I-Can-Do Service model helped to identify participants interests, but provided limited support to participants during volunteering. The research revealed that the implementation of the ICanDo Service requires a number of further support measures, including training, assistance and regular reviews to support and safeguard participants of the service appropriately. 2. The physical booklet used in the sessions was not fully utilised. As a result, the recommendation arose to develop a complementary interactive digital version of the booklet to enable sharing notes and actions with all relevant users and stakeholders involved in delivering the service. The aims of this project were to co-develop the ICanDo Service model and an interactive digital workbook to make it more accessible, user-friendly and scalable. This project is made up of two parts: 1. The full-service model and the ICanDo Service trial. 2. The development of the digital prototype. Co-design is an approach that actively involves all relevant stakeholders to develop design ideas, make design decisions, and develop workable products. The underlying idea is to design with all stakeholders to help sure the result meets their needs and is usable. Insights from the previous sessions were presented in subsequent co-design sessions to explore speculative design ideas in an iterative process. 11 co-design sessions were conducted with people with dementia, care partners, care and volunteer professionals and those with volunteering experience. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This data set enabled the development of the full ICanDo Service model, which was piloted with people with dementia. |
| URL | https://reshare.ukdataservice.ac.uk/857475/ |
| Title | ICanDo web app prototype |
| Description | The ICanDo web app prototype is the translation and extension of the physical ICanDo Service guide and workbook. The web app in its final form will support the delivery of the ICanDo Service, including all parts of the service including communication between all stakeholders involved, delivery of the wellbeing sessions to help people with dementia identify their interests, training for all stakeholders involved to support people with dementia into volunteering. This project was designed to co-design a prototype to understand the features, content and visualisation. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | This is still a prototype and not yet ready for release. However, it was offered to all types of stakeholders for comment and input during the co-design sessions. |
| Description | Co-Design workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | To date, we have conducted six co-design workshops with people living with early-stage dementia, their care partners, dementia care professionals, volunteer services organisations, and other relevant stakeholders, with another 5 forthcoming. The purpose of the workshops is to collect information and views on how the service should run and support people with dementia to enable them to engage with volunteering. The information will support development of the full service model and of the digital prototype. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | http://www.icandoservice.co.uk |
| Description | I-Can-Do Service trial |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | We are running a re-trial of the first part of the I-Can-Do service, which includes three wellbeing mentor session. In the sessions, the wellbeing mentor and the person with dementia explore their interests and skills, what opportunities for volunteering or other community activities are available, and make some decisions on which activities to take forward. This trial is complemented with a wellbeing questionnaire (at the beginning and end) to understand the impact of the session on individuals' wellbeing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | http://www.icandoservice.co.uk |
| Description | ICanDo Symposium 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The symposium reported on insights into the design of the ICanDo volunteer service with and for people with dementia. ICanDo is a novel and innovative service developed to empower and support people with early-stage dementia. It helps people to identify, participate and contribute to social activities in their community by connecting them to local volunteer services. In the symposium, different stakeholders, including colleagues from the Alzheimer's Society, from Age UK and notably one of our participants with lived experience of dementia, talked about the importance of good service design and and their experiences with the ICanDo Service. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://mmutube.mmu.ac.uk/media/ICanDo+Symposium%3A+Volunteering+with+and+for+people+with+dementia+-... |
| Description | ICanDo Symposium: Volunteering with and for people with dementia - 28 June 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This video contains insights on the design of the ICanDo volunteer service with and for people with dementia. ICanDo is a novel and innovative service developed to empower and support people with early-stage dementia. It helps people to identify, participate and contribute to social activities in their community by connecting them to local volunteer services. In the video, different stakeholders, including colleagues from the Alzheimer's Society, from Age UK and participants with lived experience of dementia, talk about the importance of good service design and and their experience with the ICanDo Service and its co-design development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://mmutube.mmu.ac.uk/media/ICanDo+Symposium%3A+Volunteering+with+and+for+people+with+dementia+-... |