Bournemouth University has launched a research project to understand how dementia affects UK armed forces veterans, after evidence suggested that time spent in the military can raise someone’s risk of developing the condition.
Why Veterans Face a Higher Dementia Risk
Veterans can be more likely to develop dementia later in life because of experiences linked to service, including traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both have been connected to a higher risk of the condition in later years. The new project, called SERVED (Supporting Evidence-based Research for Veterans Experiencing Dementia), aims to better understand these risks and make sure veterans living with dementia get the right support.
The study is being led by Bournemouth University’s Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC), working alongside the university’s Nursing Sciences department. It is headed by Dr Michele Board, Co-Lead of the ADRC, in partnership with Vikki Tweedy, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Dementia and Frailty at Dorset County Hospital. The project is funded by the charity Dementia Research UK.
Creative methods to capture veterans’ stories
Rather than relying only on clinical data, the team is using creative methods to gather veterans’ experiences and help them open up about their lives. These include:
- Workshops built around cooking, drumming, theatre and music
- Interviews with veterans and their carers
- A documentary capturing their stories in their own words
A stakeholder event is also planned, bringing together health professionals, care providers and veterans’ organisations to discuss the findings.
Giving veterans and families a voice
Dr Board said giving veterans a voice is central to the project: “Key to our project is giving the veterans living with dementia a voice,” she explained, adding that the team wants the activities to be “fun and enjoyable for all.”
The human side of the project has already come through in early conversations. One carer, Louise, described the practical gap many families face: “They need help, they need services, they need to know where to go.” Her comment reflects a wider concern the research hopes to address — that veterans and their families are often unsure where to turn for dementia support tailored to their military background.
The findings will be used to identify priorities for future research and to raise awareness among health and care services of the specific needs veterans with dementia may have, from service-related trauma to the routines and camaraderie many are used to from military life.
Why this matters now
The scale of the issue is significant: the 2021 census recorded 1,853,112 people in England and Wales who had previously served in the UK armed forces — around one in 25 adults. As this population continues to age, projects like SERVED are likely to become increasingly important in shaping how dementia care is delivered to former service personnel.
