Why sign up
Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia. Almost everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with, or has cared for someone with, the disease.
Being able to help people living with dementia to have a better quality of life, being able to diagnose the disease earlier, and the search for ways to prevent dementia all depend on research. Effective research, in turn, depends on finding participants. But this process has historically been incredibly time-consuming.
StepUp for Dementia Research is the first systematic and inclusive way for dementia researchers to recruit participants in Australia and we need your help. There are many ways you can contribute, from participating in clinical trials to serving a healthy control or through citizen science. By consulting with the public, with people living with dementia and their carers, and with medical professionals, we have tried to build a system that has you, as a potential volunteer, front of mind.
Participating in research can be a rewarding experience in many different ways. You may meet people who have had similar experiences to you, or you may learn more about the disease and the care or treatment options available.
While the service is free to use, we understand that we are asking you to give your time. This gift will be very much appreciated by the researchers, and may in turn benefit your own and future generations.
What StepUp for Dementia Research does
- StepUp for Dementia Research is an inclusive Australian research hub that gives everyone aged 18 and over the opportunity to participate in research
- The service is free for researchers to use; its database will be available to anyone conducting ethically approved dementia studies
- The service allows you to donate time (as much or as little as you want to), rather than money
- It places the value and potential of people with dementia at the centre of the solution
- Registration is simple and flexible: participants can sign up with just a few clicks and opt out at any stage
A note on our logo
The StepUp for Research logo was designed by BrandMatters, in consultation with the StepUp for Research team and a Public Involvement Panel consisting of people with lived experience. The rays represent a sun, and form the shape of Australia. The research participant is at the centre of the logo, and the rays (are the StepUp for Research stakeholders: researchers, health and care professionals, carers, loved ones and the public.
The rays also evoke ripples, which represent the knock-on effect of stepping up to participate in research, and the value it provides for other people and generations to come.