Cognitive Rehabilitation for people with mild-moderate dementia

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Cognitive Rehabilitation for people with mild-to-moderate dementia: A Single Case Experimental Design Study

  • IRAS ID

    326759

  • Contact name

    Jonathan Evans

  • Contact email

    Jonathan.evans@glasgow.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Glasgow

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 0 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    Summary of Research
    The aim of this study is to investigate whether a Cognitive Rehabilitation (CR) intervention supported by NHS Education for Scotland Cognitive Rehabilitation in Dementia Resources enables people with dementia (PwD) to achieve personally relevant everyday goals, and increases confidence in the ability to manage cognitive difficulties (self-efficacy). Additionally, we will explore the personal experiences of PwD, their carers, and staff delivering the NES Cognitive Rehabilitation in Dementia intervention, including the impact the intervention may have on PwD's confidence in managing their condition.

    6 PwD under the care of the Older People’s Community Mental Health Teams (OPCMHTs) or the Young Onset Dementia (YOD) service in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) will have an opportunity to be involved in the study. They will develop their own goal related to everyday activities. Their achievement of this goal will be measured before and during a CR intervention. The researchers will then investigate if there has been any change in goal success before and after they were given support from staff. The study will also aim to understand the experiences of people participating in CR for dementia by conducting interviews with them. The information gathered through the interviews will then be analysed to identify themes in relation to the research aims, such as the confidence of people with dementia in managing their difficulties and facilitators/barriers to participating in the intervention.

    The research team will explore appropriate academic journals with the academic supervisor and submit them for publication. The participants will be given the option of receiving a summary sheet of the study's findings. If successful, we anticipate the study could encourage greater use of CR interventions to support people with dementia. It is also hoped that insights will offer healthcare providers valuable information when creating services for people with dementia and their carers.

    Summary of Results
    The participants’ goal achievement varied. Participant 1 had a moderate improvement in their goal attainment, but this may have occurred by chance rather than the intervention. Participant 2’s performance improved following the CR intervention, unlikely due to chance. Participant 3 initially experienced a decline in their goal achievement, but their intervention was disrupted by a hospitalisation, and post-admission they experienced increasing success with their goal achievement. Self-efficacy changes were mixed, with Participants 1 and 3 experiencing declines, while Participant 2 showed improvement. The factors which could be associated with these findings are addressed in the paper. The study adhered to best practice recommendations but there were some limitations.

    A total of 19 interviews were completed with people with dementia, their carers and staff participants. Out of these, 11 were pre-intervention and 8 were post-intervention interviews. Three main themes were identified. The ‘role of the therapeutic relationship’ showed that the relationship with the therapist influenced how participants’ experienced the intervention. The ‘relationship with the condition’ theme highlighted how the intervention impacted on participants’ views about dementia and the ‘facilitators or barriers’ theme explored what elements of the intervention were viewed as helpful or unhelpful.

  • REC name

    West of Scotland REC 5

  • REC reference

    23/WS/0144

  • Date of REC Opinion

    27 Oct 2023

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion