This Knowledge Translation (KT) project will translate our research to raise awareness and improve understanding of less common types of dementia, i.e. Lewy body dementias (LBD), which affect >20% of people with dementia. However, most people, including professionals, equate ‘dementia’ with Alzheimer’s disease, leading to significant under-recognition and misdiagnosis of LBD in Ireland and worldwide.
Importance:
Unrecognized or misdiagnosed LBD leads to inappropriate treatment, resulting in rapid decline, increased dependency and greater care burden. Addressing this will reduce economic and societal costs and enhance patient outcomes.
Our goals:
Increase awareness of LBD across Ireland using innovative, engaging approaches, extending academic activity
Develop novel arts-based participatory approaches (i.e. photo-essays, experimental theatre), to translate and understand lived experiences of LBD.
Our approach:
We will work with knowledge users and brokers (people with lived experience, professionals, policymakers, specialists in applied creative arts in health) to translate our research findings into engaging, arts-based formats for a wider audience.
Project #1: Photo-essay
Objective: Share LBD lived experiences using visual media.
Approach: The ‘Keepsake Chronicles’ method, will share knowledge/awareness in health, community, third sector and public settings
Partners: ‘Keepsake Chronicle’ team (nurse, photographer, poet)
Project #2: Applied theatre workshops
Objective: Engage audiences through interactive, socially applied theatre.
Approach: Participatory experimental theatre with public and people affected
Partners: Ireland’s leading theatre company & theatre arts academic
Outputs:
Co-designing arts-based outputs will enhance understanding and awareness of LBD among the general public, those affected and healthcare professionals. Deeper awareness is critical to improving outcomes all affected with LBD in Ireland.
Impact:
The 2019 WHO report (Fancourt et al.) highlighted the effectiveness of arts-based methods in promoting health, slowing age-related decline, and supporting dementia. These approaches align with EMERALD Lewy project goals. Photo-video and experimental applied theatre effectively translate health knowledge, especially within a broader health communication strategy.