Dementia resources for eating, activity, and meaningful inclusion (DREAM) toolkit co-development: process, output, and lessons learned

AbstractPromoting wellbeing of persons with dementia and their families is a priority of research and practice. Engaging diverse partners, including persons with dementia and their families, to co-develop interventions promotes relevant and impactful solutions. We describe the process, output, and lessons learned from the dementia resources for eating, activity, and meaningful inclusion (DREAM) project, which co-developed tools/resources with persons with dementia, care partners, community service providers, health care professionals, and researchers with the aim of increasing supports for physical activity, healthy eating, and wellbeing of persons with dementia. Our process included: (1) Engaging and maintaining the DREAM Steering Team; (2) Setting and navigating ways of engagement; (3) Selecting the priority audience and content; (4) Drafting the toolkit; (5) Iterative co-development of tools and resources; (6) Usability testing; and (7) Implementation and evaluation. In virtual meetings, the DREAM Steering Team confirmed the toolkit audiences (primary: community service providers; secondary: persons with dementia and care partners) and identified and evolved content areas. An en