Mission
- To develop pan-European research on Early, Timely and Quality Psychosocial Interventions in Dementia.
- To actively disseminate this and enhance practice, policy and the quality of life of people with dementia and their supporters, across Europe.
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To place people with dementia and their supporters at the centre of European research and practice, by actively involving them in developing these activities.
How do we work?
New members can apply for participation in Interdem by sending a letter with CV to the chair (Professor Marjolien de Vugt m.devugt@maastrichtuniversity.nl) . Participants need to have:
- publications in non pharmacological /non bio-medical approaches to dementia
- a PhD or equivalent preferably in dementia care or a recommendation by an internationally renowned dementia expert in the field.
All applications will be reviewed by the Board. New members are invited to present their work and that of their group (including the head of their Centre if appropriate) at our Annual Interdem meeting alongside Alzheimers Europe or on another meeting.
Who is involved?
- In March 2021 we had 229 members (academic and clinical researchers) from 19 European countries (UK, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, Malta and Switzerland) and 2 countries outside Europe (USA and Australia) from the following professional disciplines: clinical or academic psychology / neuropsychology, medical sociology, social medicine, epidemiology, social work, occupational therapy, human movement therapy (physiotherapy), gerontological and mental health nursing, primary care physicians (GPs), and specialist physicians in geriatric medicine, neurology / neuropsychiatry, psychiatry and old age psychiatry.
Furthermore, there are over 200 INTERDEM Academy members - Senior academic and clinical researchers, who are affiliated with a Research or Dissemination Unit in Dementia Care or University Department and who have a strong international published reputation in dementia care research.
- Members who primarily conduct their research in Europe, with a few exceptions.
- Members who lead Charities, Voluntary Organisations and NGOs, that represent people with dementia and carers as well as people with dementia or families who wish to join.
Become a new member
Applications for membership of INTERDEM in the form of
- a letter of application and
- an up to date brief curriculum vitae (on the form available on the INTERDEM web-site) should be submitted to the INTERDEM Board (Christine Bailey) and will be considered at the next Board meeting.
INTERDEM is a network of researchers exploring psychosocial interventions for dementia, who develop and implement studies relevant to the INTERDEM vision and objectives (see also the INTERDEM Manifesto). Membership is free; but applicants who lead funded projects are asked to consider including a contribution to INTERDEM administration and the website when they are using the Interdem network.
INTERDEM Membership is open to those who:
- have completed a PhD or equivalent in dementia care or other relevant field
- continuously and actively contribute to the dementia research field for at least 3 years after PhD evident from publications, grants, partnerships
- support all elements of the INTERDEM mission
- make a commitment to actively support or participate in actions and activities undertaken by the network as a whole
- have a regular contributionto INTERDEM meetings, workshops and projects
- acknowledge the INTERDEM network on relevant public relations materials
- are willing to have their names published on the INTERDEM website and their details
- are willing to present themselves as new member at the INTERDEM annual meeting
Fulfilment of these criteria is assessed by the Board. In exceptional circumstances the Board may vary these criteria on an individual basis where agreement is reached and minuted by the board. The board can ask members who do not actively or regularly participate in INTERDEM about their membership
If you have published in dementia care and are a senior academic or clinical psychosocial researcher, affiliated with a European Research or Dissemination Dementia Care Unit or University Department and you would like to collaborate with us, please send us brief information on your research activity & interest by completing this form.
You can download the form and send it to christine.bailey@nottshc.nhs.uk
A brief history
INTERDEM
In 1999, a multi-professional group of researchers from Europe (UK, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland) who had contributed to the international literature in early dementia, gathered at the University of Hull, UK, co- funded by the European Commission (file no: SOC97 201452 05F03). The 1999 meeting included others from the UK, Spain, and The Netherlands who had also received co-funded support for related research from the European Commission.
Findings of pan-European psychosocial research in early dementia were pooled and INTERDEM, a network of research-practitioners / clinicians was thus established, with its first meeting hosted by INTRAS in Zamora, Spain in 2000. The purpose of this clinical academic network was to promote research on early recognition and psychosocial intervention in dementia, to build capacity and to develop a better understanding of the experience of people with dementia and their families, throughout Europe.
Annual Meetings and topic specific research meetings were organised. From 2002 on these coincided with the Alzheimer’s Europe annual meeting, since this was seen as a route for the dissemination of high quality pan- European research in early recognition and timely psychosocial intervention, thus enhancing best practice initiatives within the wider practitioner community. An INTERDEM co-ordinating Board was established in March 2006 to oversee the growing network across European nations. This website was developed from a co-funded European Commission project DIADEM and hosted by Alzheimer’s Europe (2004 -2007) and was then transferred to INTRAS, Spain.
Members
APPROVED BY THE BOARD
Board
EST. MARCH 2006 REV. 2009
Geneva 2024
Chair INTERDEM, Professor Psychosocial innovations in dementia; head of Alzheimer Center Limburg, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Professor Emerita Clinical Psychology, Ageing and Dementia, University of Hull, Founder Chair, now Task Force coordinator INTERDEM Board
Professor and medical sociologist, Radboud UMC, the Netherlands. Member SAB (JPND). Research: psychosocial interventions, social health, translational research, implementation, palliative care, organisation of care.
Professor and Director of the Institute of Mental Health. Director of Research and Development, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Amsterdam University Medical Center, dept. Medicine for Older people. Senior researcher and lecturer psychosocial (and ICT) interventions in dementia. Board member of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Network (JAIN)
INTERDEM Academy board member, postdoctoral research at the Alzheimer Centrum Limburg (NL) and Karolinska Institutet (SE). Research focus: digital behavioral interventions for people with chronic conditions (e.g., dementia, chronic pain) and their relevant others.
INTERDEM Academy board member, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham (UK). Research focus: young onset dementia, online peer support, and post-diagnostic support more broadly.
Website committee
FORMED BY
- Ana Barbosa
- Caitlin Hibbs
- Dorota Szczesniak
- Eithne Heffernan
- Fania Dassen
- Fanny Monet
- Franka Meiland
- Henriëtte Van Der Roest
- Jan Steyaert
- Katarzyna Urbanska
- Federica d’Andrea