Nutrition and Dementia at Home (TOMATO)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility study of an intervention to provide nutritional care for people living with dementia at home (TOMATO: nuTritiOn and deMentia AT hOme)
IRAS ID
314360
Contact name
Jane Murphy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bournemouth University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Most people with dementia live at home and are supported by family or friends. Good nutrition and hydration can help improve a person’s quality of life, especially when unwell. Making sure people eat and drink well when they have dementia can be difficult, as dementia progresses. Many with dementia are therefore at risk of being undernourished. This can be caused by poor appetite as well as eating and swallowing problems. Being undernourished can lead to poorer health and quality of life for people with dementia (and their carers), more general practitioner (GP) appointments and increased hospital admissions. Discussions with people with dementia, family carers, health care professionals (HCPs) and home care workers (HCWs) showed that eating and drinking in dementia is an important issue that is concerning for them. However, little research has been done in this area, particularly for people with dementia living at home. Compared with healthcare staff, HCWs provide care for people with dementia more frequently and for longer.
Therefore, they have an important role in helping people with dementia and with their eating and drinking.
The aim of this project is to work together with home care staff, people with dementia and family carers to provide nutritional care for people living with dementia at home. The approach will be based on a nutrition intervention that we have developed for care homes which we think could be adapted for people with dementia who are receiving care at home. It includes a workbook and video, guides for staff and family carers, and resources and leaflets. This study will take place in Dorset and West Yorkshire in two phases over 18 months.RESEARCH DESIGN
This feasibility study will consist of two phases - intervention refinement (Phase 1) and intervention feasibility testing (Phase 2).Phase 1: Intervention Refinement
Timescale: up to 4 months
Summary: The first phase involves adapting the research teams'existing nutrition intervention by getting feedback from people with dementia, family carers, home care staff and nutrition experts. The intervention includes training programme, new video, toolkit including booklets/guides, online resources and materials for HCWs and people with dementia and family carers.Phase 2: Intervention feasibility testing
Timescale: up to 11 months
Summary: The second phase involves training HCWs to deliver the adapted approach to 32 people with dementia and family carers in receipt of care at home. Information about food intake, weight, practicality and costs of the approach will be gathered.REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/WM/0251
Date of REC Opinion
20 Feb 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion