In response to the escalating dementia care crisis in the UK, Brain+ A/S, a leader in digital therapeutics for dementia, has partnered with Southcare Homes Group Ltd to introduce Ayla – your CST Assistant, a groundbreaking digital solution aimed at improving care for people living with dementia. This pioneering initiative, which marks the first UK care home deployment of Ayla, will provide Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) through digital technology across two Southcare Homes sites in Surrey and Sussex.
A New Era in Dementia Care: Addressing the UK’s Crisis
There are over 944,000 people living with dementia in the UK. A figure expected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, One in three people will develop dementia in their lifetime[i].
Dementia is one of the UK’s most pressing health and social care challenges and one of the costliest health conditions in the UK. In 2024 the estimated economic impact of dementia in the UK was £42.5 billion, and this is expected to more than double to over £90 billion by 2040[ii].
The strain on the social care system has reached a critical point. yet, despite this, dementia care continues to face numerous challenges, including a shortage of trained professionals and insufficient access to non-drug therapies.
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST), a non-drug treatment backed by twenty years of clinical research and recommended by NICE, is one of the most effective approaches to dementia care. CST has been shown to improve cognition, communication, and quality of life in people with mild to moderate dementia accounting for 85% of all cases. However, its widespread adoption has been limited due to challenges in training and delivering the therapy at scale. The Memory Assessment Services audit highlighted that only 31% patients were offered CST in NHS memory services.
Through this collaboration, Brain+ aims to tackle these issues by making CST more accessible and scalable via Ayla, a digital platform that delivers structured, evidence-based CST sessions. By integrating Ayla into Southcare Homes’ dementia care pathways, Brain+ is helping address the gap in care, empowering caregivers to provide therapeutic support more consistently and efficiently.
Key Highlights of the Partnership:
- First UK Care Home Deployment: Southcare Homes becomes the first UK care home group to adopt Ayla, marking a significant step in the digital transformation of dementia care.
- Specialised CST Training: Brain+ will train selected caregivers and family members at Southcare Homes’ Lime Tree House and Grasmere sites, ensuring they have the skills to deliver effective, evidence-based therapy.
- Improving Resident Well-Being: By leveraging Ayla’s advanced features, the collaboration aims to enhance the cognitive health and emotional well-being of residents living with dementia.
- Scalability for the Future: This partnership paves the way for further digital innovations in dementia care across the UK, demonstrating a scalable model for wider adoption.
Devika Wood, Chief Commercial Officer at Brain+, emphasised:
“Dementia care is a growing crisis, and traditional models of care cannot keep up with the demand. We urgently need solutions that are scalable, cost-effective, and proven to work. Digital CST offers a way forward, ensuring that thousands more people receive the therapy they need without placing further strain on the NHS or care workforce.”
What’s Next? Scaling Digital Dementia Care Across the UK
This partnership is just the beginning. Over the next 12 months, Brain+ and Southcare Homes will evaluate the impact of Ayla on residents and caregivers. With the goal of expanding digitally enabled CST by providing tools designed to optimise workforce practices across the UK, this collaboration serves as a model for other care providers looking to enhance dementia care through technology and provide support to caregivers.
Karim Nanji, Managing Director at Southcare Homes, stated:
“We are delighted to partner with Brain+ to bring Ayla into our care homes. Dementia care is at the heart of what we do, and we continuously seek innovative ways to enhance the quality of life for our residents. The integration of digital CST, coupled with specialist staff training, reinforces our commitment to leading the way in dementia care excellence.”