Journeys Through Care: A Qualitative Longitudinal study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Journeys through care: a qualitative longitudinal study exploring the experiences and preferences of people moving into care homes
IRAS ID
357451
Contact name
Orla Phipps
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of York
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 10 months, 9 days
Research summary
When someone moves into a care home, key decisions must be made— by the person themselves or often by family members or caregivers. Two central decisions are when to move and where to move. While past studies have explored these questions, most use cross-sectional designs that capture experiences at a single point in time.
This study uses a qualitative longitudinal approach to better understand how these decisions are made and how people reflect on them over time. It follows people moving into care homes, and their families, over the course of one year, with interviews at three-month intervals. This design captures how perceptions and experiences change as individuals settle into care home life and as family circumstances evolve.
In addition to residents and families, the study also includes the perspectives of care home staff. Focus groups using anonymised vignettes will explore how staff respond to the needs of new residents and support them during the transition period.The Research questions are:
1.How do people moving into a care home feel and think about the decisions of “when” to move in and “where” to move in at the point of moving into a care home?
1.1 How do their feelings and perceptions about these decisions evolve over time post care home admission?
2.What do families and caregivers of people moving into care homes feel about the decisions of “when” to move in and “where” to move in at the point of their family member moving into a care home?
2.1 How do families' feelings and perceptions of these decisions evolve over time after their family member has been admitted to the care home?
3.What do care home providers find most important during the transition period for new residents?
3.1 How do care home staff support residents as they adapt to their new homes?
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/WM/0245
Date of REC Opinion
11 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion