Bridging the gap between clinical practice and research in health care is a challenging task. Living Labs are academic practice partnerships to stress the ambition to start up a longstanding collaboration, which have been developed and implemented in the Netherlands (Verbeek et al., 2020). The “PraWiDem” (“Living Lab Dementia”) project aims to adapt the Maastricht Living Lab approach to long-term dementia care in different regions in Germany.

A mixed methods approach was used to guide the adaptation of the Maastricht Living Lab. A focus group study investigated perspectives of people with dementia, informal carers and professionals on expectations and experiences concerning collaboration and networking between research and practice. A scoping review mapped international experiences in knowledge transfer practices and collaboration approaches in nursing care. Experts from the Maastricht Living Lab supported the research team in adapting the approach to the German national context. Parts of the German “Living Lab Dementia” concept were discussed with members of a recently formed research participation group of people with dementia (“experts by experience”).

In total, 10 focus groups and 5 individual interviews were conducted. Key themes include researchers’ and professionals’ skills, participation of people with dementia and informal carers, and multi-professional requirements. The scoping review identified 17 different approaches of knowledge translation and collaboration. Few approaches address the common development and implementation of knowledge and networking. Dutch experts recommend the early development of long-lasting strategies for collaboration. Experts by experience wish to participate, but traditional research methods may need to be adapted to allow their participation.

The “Living Lab Dementia” is currently under investigation in collaboration with institutional and community care services in three regions in Germany.