To ask the Minister of Health whether any assessment has been made of the availability and quality of activity-based interventions for people living with dementia in care homes and community settings.

The Department of Health recognises the importance of activity-based interventions in supporting the wellbeing, independence and quality of life of people living with dementia, both in care homes and in community settings.

While there has not been a single, comprehensive regional assessment solely focused on activity-based interventions, their availability and quality are considered through a range of existing oversight and assurance mechanisms. In particular, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) assesses the quality of care provided in regulated settings, including care homes, against established standards.

Care Home Minimum Standards require providers to adopt a person-centred approach to care, ensuring that residents have opportunities for meaningful activity, social interaction and engagement that reflect their individual needs, preferences and abilities. During inspections, RQIA considers how services support residents’ emotional, social and cognitive wellbeing, including the provision of appropriate activity programmes and therapeutic interventions for people living with dementia.

In community settings, activity-based interventions are delivered through a combination of Health and Social Care (HSC) services and programmes provided by community and voluntary sector organisations. These may include day opportunities, memory services, dementia support programmes, and initiatives such as music-based activities, reminiscence therapy and cognitive stimulation.

The Department continues to work with HSC Trusts and partners to promote good practice, share learning, and improve consistency in access to high-quality, evidence-based interventions across all settings. This includes ongoing efforts to strengthen person-centred approaches and ensure that people living with dementia can benefit from engaging and therapeutic activities as part of their overall care and support.