MARQUE: Dementia and agitation in domestic environments
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Managing Agitation and Raising QUality of Life: Stream 4: Qualitative study of people with dementia and agitation and their family carers living in domestic environments
IRAS ID
164451
Contact name
Smaragda Agathou
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
This qualitative study of people with moderate and severe dementia and their family carers living in domestic environments will contribute to the MARQUE (Managing Agitation and Raising Quality of Life) programme which is funded by the ESRC/NIHR. The project is designed to increase knowledge of and improve the lives of people with moderate and severe dementia and their families, by decreasing agitation and increasing quality of life. It is predicted that the programme will identify significant relationships between agitation in people with dementia and quality of life. Agitation is a common symptom of dementia and includes behaviours such as restlessness, pacing, shouting and verbal or physical aggression.
Behaviour in dementia is influenced by events, interactions and context which serve to support or ignore 'personhood', which has been defined by Kitwood as 'a standing or status that is bestowed upon one human being, by others, in the context of relationships and social being'. Previous research has shown that the quality of the relationship suffers between carers and people with dementia when behaviours such as agitation are present, but has not explored how this may impact on the preservation of personhood. In addition and importantly, trials of non pharmacological interventions for reducing agitation in dementia for people living in domestic settings have not been successful and have sometimes made it worse.
We will carry out qualitative interviews to explore with family carers how caring for a relative with dementia and who is experiencing symptoms of agitation, impacts on their relationship what makes it better or worse, and examine whether personhood is preserved or diminished. We wish to use this information for people with dementia and agitation living at home to devise an intervention for future pilot studies.REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0267
Date of REC Opinion
8 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion