Environmental intervention within dementia care home:staff perspective
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing an environmental intervention to reduce agitation in residents living in a dementia unit: the staff perspective.
IRAS ID
181379
Contact name
Nicola Douglas-Smith
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of the West of Scotland
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
The second stage of the study, which ethical approval is being sought for through this application, aims to implement an environmental intervention which was developed with staff during the first stage of the study. The intervention has been developed with the aim of reducing agitation in residents living with dementia. The PhD study aims to explore staff opinions of being involved in the research process as well as staff evaluations of the intervention. This will be carried out through interviews. It also aims to examine if the intervention has had an impact on residents' behaviour and medication related to agitation by asking staff to participate in interviews using an agitation measure and reviewing residents' medication charts.
The decided intervention is to develop a new outdoor garden view visible to residents from the lounge area in the specialised dementia unit.
The intervention involves three components:
- Introducing quick growing plants and a bird table visible from the lounge window.
- Staff placing food on the bird table daily to encourage wildlife into the garden.
- Potentially other therapeutic factors as a result of staff and resident engagement with the view, for example increased social interaction.REC name
Scotland A: Adults with Incapacity only
REC reference
16/SS/0099
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion