As people age, more are choosing or finding themselves living alone. For those with dementia, this can bring unique challenges, such as increased isolation, difficulty accessing support, and higher risks of crisis situations. However, dementia-related services and research often focus on individuals who have a family member or caregiver living with them.
It is estimated that around 120,000 people living with dementia in the UK live by themselves.
Sarah Polack, a Senior Research Fellow with the Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS), wanted to explore the evidence on what works to support people with dementia, who live alone.
Kath Sykes, Living Well with Dementia, Implementation Manager at ARC KSS, says:
"We know people living alone with dementia face additional challenges, including increased isolation and difficulties seeking and accessing support and care when they need it. There is a knowledge and service gap and we need to understand the needs of people living alone with dementia, to make sure they get the right support at the right time. This systemic review highlights what evidence there is about interventions and services designed to support people living alone with dementia, the limited services available, and the need for more evidence to understand what services need to look like to meet the needs of people living alone with dementia.’’
The study
The researchers reviewed the evidence on non-medical approaches to support people with dementia living alone. They found thirteen different approaches that have been evaluated which fit into five categories:
- Home-based Dementia Care Management –includes programmes where nurses assess a person’s needs and provide tailored support. Evidence suggests that this has worked well, with one study in Germany finding this was particularly cost-effective for those living alone.
- Technology-Based Support – tools like alarms, apps, and smart devices can help people stay safe and connected. More research is needed involving co-production and usability testing of technology solutions by people with dementia who do not have family members to support this.
- Social Support – there were promising findings for programmes that enable meaningful relationships and social activities, such as befriending.
- Cognitive Support – activities that keep the brain active showed some benefits, but evidence specifically for people living alone is limited.
- Psychological Support – only one study on mental well-being was found.
Sarah Polack, says: "These findings demonstrate that there are a number of different ways we can support people living with dementia to live well at home for longer. However, while most of the studies showed some positive results, most were small, short-term and lacked involvement of people with dementia living alone in the design of the interventions.
"As more people live alone in old age, we must develop services and support that work for them. By listening to their experiences and doing more research, we can make sure they get the support they need to live well and stay connected. We need stronger evidence on how to support and include people with dementia living alone and make sure that their voices shape the services that are meant to help them."
This study is part of a bigger programme of work, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and supported by ARC KSS, that looks at how people with dementia who live alone in Kent, Surrey and Sussex can get better support and stay connected with others.
Download the full report: Non-Pharmaceutical interventions for people with dementia who live alone: a systematic review (National Library of Medicine, 26 February 2026)
