University of Stirling Researchers building partnership and collaboration with Kenyan partners
The challenge of dementia in Kenya is under-researched, with very limited data on the prevalence and impact on the local community. The societal implications of an ageing population, the rise of dementia, and the effects of social and economic change are not well mapped and are certainly multi-faceted and complex.
Alzheimer’s Disease International (2019) found there were huge inequalities for older people in the sub-Sahara; they were not a priority, and their rights were violated since they were viewed as not contributing to the economy. Therefore, with an increasingly ageing population at a higher risk of dementia due to prevailing co-morbidities and complex socio-economic contexts and challenges, it is pertinent to increase awareness and improve dementia-related research and activities with local stakeholders.
Widespread inequalities in Kenya continue to impact the socio-economic and cultural upliftment of people in general, further disadvantaging those living with dementia and the ageing population, especially those from marginalised nomadic communities. In addition, tribalism and class systems similarly exacerbate inequalities where some tribes feel disfranchised as part of colonial legacy or experience unequal access to resources. We aim to situate our discussions within the intersectional inequalities of gender, age, poverty, and dementia to minimise the inequalities in our research and impact activities.
Additionally, very little is known about healthy ageing of people in absolute poverty, e.g., in slums and informal settlements, persuading us to ground our discussions within government policies and agendas, if any, to protect older people and further share UK policies with collaborators, such as the dementia strategy and the inclusion of people living with dementia in decision-making. By identifying future pathways to engage with policymakers in Kenya, we expect to contribute to improving the country's ageing-related developmental goals.
Aims and objectives of the project
The project aims to investigate the influence of research, practice, and policy on developing dementia-friendly communities in Kenya. It will examine gaps and priority needs, focusing on inequality, stigma, and design, and co-identify opportunities for future research, education, and long-term impact at the community and policy levels, to improve awareness and the quality of spaces in which people live, especially through the exploration of applying supportive designs and the establishment of dementia education programmes. On a higher level, our activities and anticipated future research collaborations will acknowledge and address, at its core, poverty and development issues experienced in Kenya.
Partners
Mary met with the two Kenyan partners, Elizabeth and Simon, during a recent conference in Kenya, ‘The Future of Dementia in Africa: Advancing Global Partnerships.’
Elizabeth Mutunga, Mary Njoki, and Simon Githui
• Elizabeth Mutunga: Alzheimer’s Dementia Kenya (ADOK) founder and Director. ADOK is a non-profit organisation established in 2016 by caregivers. It works to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and provide support to those affected with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. It has become one of the leading organisations in Dementia in Africa, supporting carers across the continent.
• Simon Githui: Dedan Kimathi University in Kenya, Psychiatric Nursing lecturer specialising in neurocognitive diseases, including dementia. Other university responsibilities include the Chair of the Department- of Nursing Education, Leadership and Management and Research. He is also in charge of short courses at the School of Nursing.
Proposed activities in Kenya and Scotland:
• Guest lecture on dementia design and a lunchtime workshop at Dedan Kimathi University, Nyeri, Kenya.
• Knowledge exchange event organised with Alzheimer’s Dementia Kenya (ADOK) in Nairobi, Kenya, with stakeholders including carers, doctors, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists.
• Share learning from Designing Homes for Healthy Cognitive Ageing (DesHCA) to improve home designs in Kenya and the Neighbourhood and Dementia Stirling project, while considering cultural variations and challenges.
• Host Kenyan partners’ visit to Stirling, UK, to connect with the Dementia and Ageing division and visit the Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) to learn more about dementia design. Prof. Richard Ward, the researchers' mentor for the project, will also link the partners with ‘Our Connected Neighbourhood’ project through Kevin Harrison, Director of Stirling Artlink, to learn about dementia support in the community.
• Online seminars: One seminar will be connected with the ENACT-DEM project, of which Prof. Ward is the Principal Investigator and which the English, Canadian, and German partners will be invited to join. The other seminar will be hosted by the British Society of Gerontology (BSG) Special Interest Group in research from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as a knowledge exchange session for their members and Kenyan partners.
Our multidisciplinary team and expertise will allow us to identify environmental design, as well as social science and policy strands of dementia-friendly community and society. The collaborators bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in understanding what dementia and age-friendly living could mean in the local contexts. We shall identify areas of mutual interest that could lay the foundation for future joint research funding applications. We aim to understand the landscapes, infrastructure, political and cultural systems to start setting foundations for future research and impact-related collaborations.
Stirling University has outstanding, longstanding, and high-impact international research in dementia and ageing, dementia designs, and communities. As stated in the new strategic plan, the University’s vision is to make an impact on people’s lives and be a force for good in the world. Our project aligns with the University’s vision to be globally recognised for its interdisciplinary and innovative research focused on positively impacting the health and well-being of people and links to all three major research themes at the University:
· Living Well
· Cultures, Communities and Society
· Global Security and Resilience
We hope this project will improve the development of an internationally excellent standard of research and its consequent impacts on the development of communities in LMICs, and provide the opportunity to explore research collaboration, strengthen mutual knowledge exchange, and facilitate the establishment of international networks and research presence early in the trajectory of our academic careers. Please do feel free to get in touch if you want to connect with us or if we may be of any help.
Contact:
Dr Mary Njoki: mary.njoki1@stir.ac.uk
Research Fellow (Qualitative), Faculty of Social Sciences
Dr Junjie Huang: junjie.huang@stir.ac.uk
Lecturer in Dementia Ageing and Design, Faculty of Social Sciences
Designing Homes for Healthy Cognitive Ageing (DesHCA) project: https://www.deshca.co.uk/
ENACT-DEM project: https://enactdem.org/
Our Connected Neighbourhood project: https://ourconnectedneighbourhoods.org.uk/
Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI, 2019) Dementia in Sub-Sahara Africa Challenges and Opportunities online: https://www.alzint.org/u/dementia-sub-saharan-africa.pdf, accessed, [15/07/2024].
