Comment: How better connected care helps people living with dementia stay independent for longer
This Dementia Action Week (18-24 May), Mark Hindle, Managing Director of Tunstall Healthcare, discusses how technology enabled care is helping reshape dementia support through earlier intervention, more personalised insights and stronger community-based care models.
The health and social care needs of our population are changing. As of March 2026, 6.8 per cent of people diagnosed with dementia were under the age of 65, according to NHS data. Supporting people with early dementia to maintain their independence is vital, and developing a connected care approach is key to achieving this.
From crisis response to early intervention
Traditionally dementia care has often been reactive, with interventions only coming into play after a crisis such as a fall, a hospital admission or a potentially dangerous incident at home has occurred – often due to confusion or limited mobility. Adopting a preventative model creates a shift to enable risks to be identified earlier and allows people to live independently, with a safety net nearby via data and insights.
To achieve this approach, embracing technology is key. Sensors and connected devices in the home can help identify emergencies while also highlighting subtle changes in behaviour or routine, indicating the individual may need additional support, and therefore allowing early intervention to take place. For people living with early symptoms of dementia, this provides reassurance without removing independence, and provides essential support to carers.
Preventative care can identify subtle changes in behaviour or routine before they escalate into a scenario requiring medical intervention or a hospital admission. For example, devices that flag changes in a person’s daily routine can prompt a quick check-in, allowing support services to step in before a crisis develops.
This kind of early intervention, supported by integrated technology and real-time insights, can significantly reduce avoidable hospital admissions, delay the need for residential care, and improve quality of life for people living in the early stages of dementia.
By bringing together health and care information into one uniformed platform, including easy access to data, care updates and relevant healthcare records, carers and support teams have a clearer idea of an individual’s wellbeing, supporting a less restrictive approach.
Additionally, the introduction of connected apps have begun to provide reassurance and peace of mind for family and friends, many of whom balance caring responsibilities alongside work and personal commitments. These apps provide loved ones real-time access to updates, alerts and wellbeing information allowing them to stay connected and involved in care, even when they are unable to be physically present.
For present carers, this kind of technology can help to prevent burnout, by reducing the need for constant vigilance as they will be alerted to events in real-time, and support can be offered before crisis point.
Transforming personalised care with data
Technology, and the data it can capture, presents significant opportunities to transform dementia care, especially in creating a more personalised and responsive care plan. People living with dementia experience differing symptoms and may struggle to clearly communicate these shifts with their loved ones, which is why connected technologies can provide vital support.
The data gathered provides objective, real-time insights into changes in an individual living in the early stages of dementia. The remote monitoring tools can track trends such as changes in sleep patterns, reduced movement and subtle shifts in daily routines and self-care, helping carers and support teams to identify when additional support may be needed. The value of data not only lies in improving hospital admissions but also in the support of a more person-centred care model.
However, successful implementation requires technology to be introduced early and that individuals living with dementia remain central to all decision-making. Advancements to the care model should complement existing care elements and human interactions, rather than replace them.
Building stronger support networks through connected care
As the sector continues moving towards the digital transition, there is a wider recognition that technology cannot be a lone solution. Real value comes from where it is integrated into a wider, connected care ecosystem that brings together health services, social care and housing providers, families and local communities.
Neighbourhood health sits at the heart of the NHS 10-Year plan and has the potential to transform care for those living with dementia. Data insights will, over time, help bridge gaps between service providers, guaranteeing information is shared appropriately and promptly so individuals do not fall through the cracks and always receive the highest quality of care. Most significantly, connected communities can help tackle one of the biggest challenges for those living with dementia – social isolation and loneliness.
Innovative tools and communication platforms will ultimately help people to remain independent for longer, maintain their own routines, relationships and confidence within themselves. For carers, these systems can reduce stress and provide greater confidence that their loved one is supported in safe and well environments, while also enabling them to continue with work, their social life and everyday life.
Call for a more connected community
As demand for adult social care continues to grow, the sector must continue moving beyond reactive models towards preventative, personalised and community-focused approaches, using technology to enhance human care, not replace it.
The evolving range of digital solutions now available is helping people living with dementia to remain safe, independent and connected to the people and communities around them for longer, whilst giving carers and support teams the tools to provide more informed and responsive support.
By embracing more joined up and preventative approaches and investing in technologies that enable early intervention, the sector has a clear opportunity to create more sustainable services and stronger communities, improving outcomes not only for people living with dementia and their carers, but for the ageing population of the UK.
For more information about Tunstall Healthcare, visit here.
Tunstall provides Technology Enabled Care (TEC) solutions to support hundreds of thousands of people across the UK, providing confidence, comfort and reassurance to individuals, families and those involved in their care. It works alongside housing, health and social care organisations to help deliver effective care and proactive support for people including those living with frailty, dementia, learning disabilities, physical disabilities and long-term health conditions.
