Carer resident interaction at mealtimes- a conversation analytic study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using Conversation Analysis to inform evidence-based recommendations for mealtime practice for care home-based staff working with people living with a diagnosis of dementia
IRAS ID
352476
Contact name
Rowan Harwood
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The PhD student is a Speech and Language Therapist working with people living with dementia in care homes. Her clinical team receives referrals for residents who present as resistant to care, or distressed, and seeks to provide support and training for their staff carers. One common care concern is eating and drinking. Poor nutrition and hydration have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality in those living with the dementia. Skilful carer interaction, good communication and quality relationships are important in promoting eating and drinking but the specifics of what staff carers should ‘do’ in practice are unclear.
Aims
To examine everyday, naturally occurring interactions at mealtimes in care homes
To find which interactions promote positive mealtimes for people affected by dementia, encouraging successful eating and drinking, and with fewer signs of resistance and distress.
To use the findings to design staff carer training
Methods
Natural conversational data will be collected during care home mealtimes, using discreet video and audio-recording. This data will then be transcribed in detail using Conversation Analysis (CA), a well-established, detailed method of examining how interaction works.
Guided by previous studies, the PhD student will recruit care homes in her locality, aiming for five homes who have suitable residents and agree to participate. Possible participants will have a dementia diagnosis and a need for some form of assistance with eating and drinking- this could be anything from verbal prompts and encouragement to physical assistance. They will be filmed at mealtimes on a maximum of three occasions.
Outcomes
This study will give us more detail about positive interactions at mealtimes. The findings will be used to design a short training resource, produced in collaboration with people affected by dementia and care staff. This resource can be used alone, or as an addition to existing training packages.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
25/WA/0348
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jan 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion