Life expectancy continues to increase in the UK and it is important that people have the opportunity to spend these extra years enjoying healthy, independent lives. The aim of this work was to contribute to the development and evaluation of preventive interventions for good brain health. The research focused on summarising the evidence to 1) determine the effectiveness of preventive interventions (including lifestyle and diet modification, improving cardiovascular health, social isolation, etc.) and 2) identify whether specific interventions work better depending on an individuals’ level of risk of developing dementia. The team also prioritised practice-focused activities that led to direct influence on policy at the national level.

This study assessed whether the social prescribing service called Ways to Wellness in the West End of Newcastle had a positive impact on the health of its service users.

One in five of the UK population is an older man (aged over 65 years), and although men report better health than women, their mortality rates are higher.

In this project SPHR researchers aimed to improve evidence on cardiovascular risk factors in later life to help people age well.

This project developed computer models to estimate the value for money of interventions for cardiovascular diseases and dementia, and the impact these interventions on healthcare demand.