Digital Cognitive Therapy Delivers Striking Cognitive Gains for UK Care Home Residents

The BioFocus team recently sat down with Devika Wood, CEO of Brain+ and a former dementia carer, to discuss the company’s field-advancing work in digital dementia care. We discussed how the Brain+ Ayla Dementia Care platform new therapeutic platform has been a vehicle for demonstrating how data, design, and compassion can reshape one of healthcare’s greatest challenges.

Beyond the numbers, Devika shared the deeply human stories of residents who, for the first time in years, began to remember names, childhood moments, and emotions thought long lost, allowing them to regain dignity and connection in their later stages of life. 

The study, conducted by dementia technology company Brain+ in collaboration with Southcare Homes Group, demonstrated that seven weeks of digitally delivered Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) via the company’s Ayla Dementia Care Platform led to a 47.8% improvement in overall cognitive outcomes among residents with mild to moderate dementia.

Measured gains were seen across several key cognitive domains:

• Planning and executive function: +66.3%

• Recognition and memory: +56.5%

• Task switching: +48.3%

• Communication and understanding: +42.3%

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Participants also reported higher mood and quality-of-life scores. Average mood improved from 3.7 to 4.2 out of 5, while quality-of-life ratings (spanning energy, mood, memory, and self-perception) rose from 1.98 to 2.65. Residents rated the overall experience 9.6 out of 10, and 80% said they would recommend CST to others.

These results, described by Brain+ as a “transformational step” in accessible dementia care, demonstrate the feasibility of delivering evidence-based cognitive therapy at scale through digital means.

Facilitating the digitalisation of archaic paper processes 

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is a non-pharmacological intervention endorsed by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use in people with mild to moderate dementia. It is the only non-drug therapy formally recommended for NHS delivery, with clinical trials showing benefits in cognition, communication, and mood, and evidence that it can delay cognitive decline by up to six months.

Traditionally, CST is delivered through structured, themed group sessions, typically five to eight participants, run by trained facilitators. However, the format has remained largely analogue since its inception, relying on laborious paper-based documentation and significant preparation time.

Ayla, a Class I medical device (meaning it can be delivered via healthcare providers including the NHS) provides more than 180 clinically validated activities structured across 14 sessions, each designed to stimulate specific cognitive and social domains. It also integrates data capture tools to record and analyse outcomes in real time, enabling care teams to track progress and tailor therapy to individual needs.

Devika compared Ayla’s role in dementia care to the way digital platforms such as SilverCloud transformed cognitive behavioural therapy for mental health.

Measurable Benefits and Human Impact

While the quantitative results of the pilot were impressive, the qualitative feedback was equally compelling.

At Southcare Homes’ Grasmere and Lime Tree House sites, where the pilot was conducted, staff reported visible improvements in residents’ engagement, mood, and communication within just a few sessions.

Antony Noad, Activity Coordinator at Southcare Homes, recalled the transformation of one resident who had not smiled in months. “Some of the participants had real barriers around certain memories, which they could no longer access. One particular person, for example, couldn’t talk about their childhood. “There was a wonderful moment when a memory was triggered and the whole atmosphere changed: all the pretence and defensiveness went out of their voice, and you could see them connect emotionally to their past experience”.

Another participant, Tom Miller, who had long been unable to discuss his early life, began recounting vivid stories from his childhood during therapy. Vicky Miller, daughter of Southcare resident Tom Miller, who took part in the pilot, said:

From speaking with Devika, it is clear that these personal accounts underscore the importance of the work, especially against the backdrop of her own personal experiences in caring for her nan who suffered from the disease.

Devika commented: “You just don't understand the power of it until you sit there and you see how the recipients come alive. And they deserve it. These are the people that were the cornerstones of our society. They were our parents and our grandparents. They deserve to be listened to and to be asked about their lives”. “This report doesn’t just represent numbers; it represents people and the moments of reconnection that every person living with dementia deserves,” she said. “It has been a privilege to work alongside Southcare Homes and see first-hand the difference technology can make when implemented with compassion.”

Meeting a Growing National Challenge

There are currently an estimated 982,000 people living with dementia in the UK, a figure projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. With as many as three in four care home residents affected, the need for scalable, cost-effective therapies is becoming critical.

Devika believes that digital delivery of CST is a key part of the solution. “One of the biggest barriers to dementia care is limited workforce capacity” she explained. “By digitising therapy and training existing care staff to deliver it, we can expand access without adding pressure to the NHS. CST is most effective when introduced early, so it belongs in primary and community care, not only in secondary services”.

Karim Nanji, proprietor of Southcare Homes Group, described the pilot as “groundbreaking.”“Working with the Brain+ team in introducing Ayla to our team and residents has been groundbreaking. We were thrilled to be the first UK based care home group to partner with this exceptional team, whose dedication and passion matches ours.

Through step by step training, both in person and virtual, our team has been able to learn how best to deliver the Ayla initiative in an effective, caring and person-centred manner”. 

Following the pilot’s success, Southcare Homes has confirmed plans to implement Ayla across its wider group of care homes.

Dementia: Data, Doubt, and the Distance Still to Go

While the early data from the Ayla pilot are undeniably encouraging and have the potential to drastically improve patients’ lives, it must be noted that CST is a complementary therapy, not a cure. Dementia remains a progressive, neurodegenerative condition with no treatment capable of halting or reversing its underlying pathology.

CST, whether delivered digitally or in person, does not alter the biological mechanisms of diseases such as Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia. Instead, it targets neuroplasticity, engagement, and quality of life, helping patients make the most of their remaining cognitive function.

The Ayla pilot’s 47.8% improvement figure, though striking, should also be interpreted carefully. The study involved just 12 participants across two sites, with no placebo or control group for direct comparison. While the use of Likert-based outcome measures aligns with CST research standards, further randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and long-term follow-ups will be essential to confirm the durability of these effects and rule out potential bias.

That said, the pilot represents an important proof of concept: that evidence-based, person-centred therapies can be made scalable through digital innovation. For a condition where pharmacological progress remains slow and fragmented, the potential societal impact of sustained cognitive gains is enormous.

As Brain+ continues to expand its research, the hope is that digital therapeutics like Ayla can fill a vital gap between diagnosis and long-term care, bridging clinical science and human connection in one of the most pressing health challenges of our time.

Future Directions for Brain+

For Brain+, the pilot marks only the beginning. The company has initiated a new collaboration with a GP practice participating in a dementia-led care strategy, exploring how CST can be integrated at the point of diagnosis.

“Early intervention is essential,” Wood said. “We are testing delivery of CST groups in primary care settings for newly diagnosed patients and will use the outcome data to demonstrate the benefits of early, community-based therapy.”

Alongside its UK expansion, Brain+ is pursuing international partnerships in Australia, Canada, and other markets, including at-home care services.

About the Ayla Dementia Care Platform

Ayla is a digital toolkit that replicates the structure and clinical integrity of the original CST programme while reducing preparation time by more than 50%. The platform includes a 14-session, NICE-aligned framework with over 180 evidence-based activities targeting memory, language, problem-solving, and social engagement.

Co-designed with care providers and individuals living with dementia, Ayla integrates seamlessly into existing care routines, enabling care homes to deliver standardised, measurable therapy while improving staff confidence and efficiency.

About Brain+

Brain+ is a Copenhagen-founded digital therapeutics company developing non-pharmacological treatments for dementia and cognitive impairment. Its mission is to make evidence-based cognitive therapies accessible at scale through digital innovation and data-driven care delivery.