Keep a sense of purpose
Volunteering opportunities
A great way to keep a sense of purpose is through volunteering. While there are many ways to volunteer locally – litter picking, nature conservation, organising a local group – many people we spoke to found it most meaningful to volunteer in a way which helps with dementia.
On this page you will:
- hear about how volunteering is a big part of Dianne's life with dementia
- hear Jane’s story of dementia volunteering with her Mum
- learn about opportunities where you could get involved with dementia research
It's good to be able to do something that keeps you occupied and feel that you're part of the world.
A person with dementia telling our researchers about how they continued with their volunteering through the COVID-19 pandemic, helping others by telephone and with dementia research
Dianne’s example of volunteering
In this video Dianne (who lives with dementia) talks about volunteering in her local community of Brent. Some of the key points are:
- creating the support you feel is missing
- being busy, involved and the joy of helping others
- the importance of owning your dementia diagnosis
Click on the image below to watch the video. It is 9 minutes long.
Jane’s example of volunteering
In this video Jane talks about doing the Alzheimer’s Society memory walks with her mum, who had dementia.
Click on the image below to watch the video. It is 2 1/2 minutes long.
Alzheimer’s Society Memory Walks take place in autumn. Keep an eye on the Memory Walk website to find ways to get involved.
I’ve been involved in an NHS project which has been a positive. I look forward to every Monday – it’s brought my happiness back into life again. In the early stages we were part of a study which involved going to hospital and being in lecture theatre and helping them to make the documents user-friendly.
A person with dementia speaking to our researchers
Ways you could get involved in research
Some people want to be involved in dementia research so that they are helping improve things for the next generation. Research is the best way for us to improve how we help people with dementia to live well, and to develop new treatments.
Everyone can Join Dementia Research by signing up on the JDR website. After a simple sign-up process, this will match you to research studies you could take part in. These could be online, nationally, or in your local area. These are research opportunities for both people with and without dementia.
Join Dementia Research is where dementia researchers from all over the UK share details of their studies. You could be involved in ground-breaking, life-changing research.
The Alzheimer’s Society Research Network volunteers are a dedicated group. Every member has a personal connection to dementia – as people living with dementia, carers, or former carers.
Volunteers help Alzheimer’s Society decide which research to fund by reviewing funding applications. You might also get involved in speaking about research or monitor ongoing projects. Many of our own research involvement group are also Research Network volunteers.
In this video from the broader IDEAL Programme, our involvement group explain what it’s been like participating in dementia research with us.
Click on the image below to watch the video. It is 4 1/2 minutes long.
I would usually do a bit of voluntary work and that involves not just me, but interaction with other people. It’s a double whammy that I’m not getting either the physical exercise or the social contact.
A carer explaining to our researchers the many benefits of volunteering they missed during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown
There are plenty of ways to volunteer on a more local scale too. Think about what would suit you and look for those opportunities. You might find the How can I find my purpose? resource helpful for this.
How could we improve this page? Visit the Contact us page to let us know.
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