StepUp for Dementia Research is a free online, postal and telephone service that connects people interested in dementia research with researchers conducting studies into dementia prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and cure. Anyone aged 18 and over – both with and without dementia – can register their interest, which can take as little as five minutes. Based on volunteers’ characteristics such as age, location and diagnosis, they will be matched to any studies for which they may be eligible. 

One of the biggest challenges for dementia researchers is finding the right people to participate, because there is still a lot of stigma around dementia and people don’t feel comfortable talking about it. StepUp will improve recruitment into research studies, which has the potential to save millions of dollars and fast-track dementia research. Importantly, StepUp will give the public a voice and help them contribute to the future of dementia research. Ultimately, without research participants research cannot take place.

StepUp is currently led by The University of Sydney. Visit the StepUp for Dementia Research website for more information.