Take part!
Have you been diagnosed with dementia? Or has a loved one been diagnosed with dementia?
We want to investigate how inequalities affect the lives of people living with dementia and the lives of their informal caregivers. We want to know if and how inequalities result in worse conditions in the face of dementia and greater difficulties in everyday life. What we learn from the experiences of people with dementia and their carers will be used to recommend policies that can provide better care and support that will give everyone the best possible quality of life.
Who can participate?
You may be eligible to participate in the study if you reside in Portugal and if you have been diagnosed with dementia or are an informal caregiver of a person with dementia.
Why participate in the SINDIA project?
SINDIA is the first large-scale project on dementia inequalities ever conducted in Portugal. The project is run together with representatives of people living with dementia and informal carers. You can be part of the project, by sharing your story, your feelings, your perceptions, your aspirations with our researchers. Study results will be used to help inform policy and improve the lives of other people with dementia, their caregivers, and their families.
What does your participation entail?
In a first phase, you will be invited to respond to a survey online, on paper, by telephone or in person, depending on your preference and availability. The questions will have to do with your physical and mental health, your living conditions, your well-being. The survey is still being prepared and will be widely publicised here, on social media and through project partners. Before moving forward, the survey will also go through an independent Ethics Committee for approval.
Later, if you want to continue participating, two researchers will visit you in the locality where you live (in a place of your choice) to take a short tour of your area of residence. The route will be entirely chosen by you, at the moment. Along the way, you can show the places you frequent, point out the qualities and problems of the environment where you live, say how you feel about the places. It will be an opportunity for us to better understand the limitations that residential areas have and how they can affect their quality of life. Recent research has suggested that where we live greatly influences our possibilities, our choices, and even our state of health. That's why it's important to assess how you feel in your environment.
Want to know more?
Send an email to the project coordinator, Miguel Padeiro (University of Coimbra): jmnp@uc.pt. You will never be obliged to participate.