How do people with dementia experience and live with loneliness? V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How do people with dementia experience and live with loneliness?
IRAS ID
293460
Contact name
Clements Clements
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Coventry University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
P115962, Coventry University Ethics
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 21 days
Research summary
The proposed research project aims to explore how people diagnosed with dementia experience and live with loneliness. While some quantitative studies have explored the aetiology, prevalence and risks of loneliness in dementia populations, very few have explored the experience of loneliness qualitatively. Furthermore, with both dementia and loneliness prevalence figures set to rise, it is only more prominent that this underdeveloped research area requires further attention. A Grounded Theory methodology will be used to develop a theoretical understanding of how people live with loneliness. Approximate 30-60-minute interviews will be conducted with participants who have received a diagnosis of dementia and self-identify as lonely, recruited using purposive sampling. As the project develops, theoretical sampling, a key component of Grounded Theory, will be used to shape the data collected and support the emerging theory (Charmaz, 2006). Interviews will take place either online or via telephone. Participants will be recruited from a variety of sources including two National Health Service (NHS) Trusts, a National Dementia Research Database, the Memory Services National Accreditation Programme (MSNAP), a local dementia support group and through Facebook social media platform.
The interviews aim to gain an understanding of the experiences of loneliness and the impact this has had, an exploration of the temporal changes, and how people live with loneliness. This project focuses on the voice of those living with dementia as well as informing clinical practice interventions to support people with dementia who experience loneliness.
The study is unique in its use of Grounded Theory to explore loneliness within a dementia population. The study will be completed and written up as part of the lead researcher’s doctoral thesis.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0120
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion