Dunhill Medical Trust

The Dunhill Medical Trust is an independent charitable foundation with a mission to advance healthy ageing through research, innovation, and practical interventions that enhance health and social care for older people. Rooted in values of open access research, health-focused integrity exemplified by tobacco investment prohibitions, and a holistic philosophy integrating biomedical advancements with social solutions, it drives funding decisions by prioritizing evidence-based translation of knowledge into tangible quality-of-life improvements. Believing systemic change arises from researcher-practitioner collaborations, capacity building via fellowships, and empowering early career researchers in ageing science, the Trust fosters partnerships between academic institutions, NHS trusts, and community organizations to address frailty and age-related challenges holistically.

It supports academic and clinical research into mechanisms of ageing, treatments for age-related diseases like sensory impairments and frailty, innovations in social care delivery, and community-based interventions promoting social connectedness, independent living environments, and sensory aids for older adults with visual or mobility limitations. Funding targets practical projects translating evidence into real-world benefits, including pilot interventions for social isolation prevention, community support enhancing wellbeing for elderly residents, carer training programs, person-centred care models, and preventative approaches to frailty management. Key beneficiaries encompass older people experiencing isolation, complex age-related health needs, cognitive decline, physical frailty, and environmental barriers to independence, with emphasis on doctoral/postdoctoral fellowships building research capacity, institutional grants for ageing biology studies, and frontline services like befriending schemes, day services, therapeutic activities, and peer support groups tailored to later-life needs. Valued approaches include evidence-based, community-led, holistic interventions bridging medical research and social care to enable older adults to live well.

Exclusions encompass unrestricted grants, emergency relief, and non-ageing foci like tobacco-related activities. Distinctive for its rigorous open access mandate, DMT Academy networks connecting academics and practitioners, and dual commitment to long-term biomedical breakthroughs alongside immediate social care innovations, it prioritizes organizations with proven ageing expertise, collaborative ethos, and dedication to scaling evidence-based practice for isolated elderly, frail seniors, and communities tackling later-life isolation through integrated medical-social strategies.