Learning to Care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Learning to Care: an ethnographic study of how direct care workers in care homes learn to care for people living with dementia
IRAS ID
130962
Contact name
Isabelle Latham
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Graduate Research School, University of Worcester
Research summary
This study asks “how do care home workers learn the skills and approaches necessary to care for people living with dementia?“ Current policy and guidance for care home organisations emphasises the importance of formal education and training for care workers as a means to improve quality of care for people living with dementia in care homes. Existing research focusses on the effectiveness of that training and education. However, whilst there is evidence that formal training impacts on care practice in some circumstances, research into workplace learning suggests that events and relationships in the workplace can result in ‘informal learning’ which significantly influences the day-to-day practice of workers. Therefore it is important to explore the features and dynamics of learning by care workers that accounts for the impact of informal aspects, workplace culture and includes the perspectives of those who live and work in the care home.
This study will use three case studies of care homes for older people living with dementia. Care workers, management, residents living with dementia and visitors to the home who wish to take part will be observed in their daily life and practice in the home and interviewed by the researcher over the course of 6 months. This information will be analysed to develop a theory of how care workers learn to care for people living with dementia in care homes and make recommendations for how best to affect that learning towards good quality outcomes for residents.REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
13/IEC08/0036
Date of REC Opinion
18 Nov 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion