New Platform Offers Practical Help for Dementia Carers in Devon

A new online tool designed to support people affected by dementia has launched during Carers Week, offering practical and personalised help for carers and families across Devon.

DementiaNet is a user-focused platform built by a small team with personal experience of navigating the challenges of dementia care. Its founders say the platform was created to address the gap in clear, accessible, and emotionally supportive guidance for people facing one of life’s most difficult journeys.

The need for a service like this is increasingly urgent. More than 14,000 people are currently living with dementia in Devon, with many more acting as carers or family support. At the same time, cuts to local support services and the confusing sprawl of online resources are making it harder for people to find the help they need.

DementiaNet offers structured, step-by-step tools to help people tackle the practical aspects of care planning, from legal documents to appointment schedules. Its interface is designed to reduce overwhelm and accommodate people with visual impairments, ADHD, or cognitive stress — factors that often make navigating traditional information sites more difficult.

For Brian Schur, one of the platform’s co-founders, the idea for DementiaNet came from personal frustration. When his mother-in-law was diagnosed in 2022, he found even basic information difficult to access.

“I’ve worked in digital for over 30 years,” he said, “and I still couldn’t make sense of it all. We were given two leaflets by the GP and left to figure everything out ourselves.”

Hugh McGouran, also a co-founder and chair of a dementia charity, echoed this concern. “It’s not just that there’s too little information — it’s that there’s too much, and none of it feels relevant. People end up in endless loops of links, often hitting dead ends or content that doesn’t apply to them. When you’re already stressed, that kind of confusion is paralysing.”

The platform guides users through a series of manageable tasks, offering only the information that’s relevant to their situation. It includes a secure digital vault for storing key documents, a planner for care milestones, and an area where users can track progress.

DementiaNet also includes a live community forum, where carers and people living with dementia can connect and offer peer support. “This isn’t just about paperwork,” McGouran said. “We know how isolating dementia can be. The forum is there to offer a space where people can share experiences, ask questions, and support each other. That human connection is vital.”

A built-in tool also links users to local events and activities, which support groups and organisations can contribute to. Future updates will focus on broadening the platform’s features for younger carers and people in the early stages of diagnosis.

A 2024 survey by DementiaNet found that nearly nine in ten people were unhappy with the dementia support they found online. Government resources fared no better, with more than a third of respondents dissatisfied.

The platform’s developers hope to change that by focusing on usability and emotional clarity. “People don’t need jargon or a hundred tabs open,” said McGouran. “They need calm, straightforward help, and a place where they feel seen.”

With the number of people living with dementia in the UK expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, the creators of DementiaNet say they are committed to evolving the platform to meet growing demand. Their aim is to make it the go-to digital resource for dementia care in the UK.

DementiaNet is now live and free to use. Visit dementianet.com to browse or register.