Shared experiences of making a digital life story in dementia dyads(1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the shared experiences of creating a digital life story with individuals with dementia and their spouse or partner
IRAS ID
242059
Contact name
Laura Sweeney
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Humber NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
researchregistry3776, Research Registry
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
Life story work is an intervention for individuals living with dementia that helps captures memories, future hopes and promotes wellbeing. Limited research has focused life story work, particularly in a community setting between individuals with dementia and their spouse/partner. This is important to investigate as two thirds of individuals with dementia live at home. Whilst research has identified a link between life story interventions and increased wellbeing, the literature has not considered what specific experiences are linked to wellbeing, and how life story work is experienced jointly between an individual and their spouse as often life story books are made with a loved one and are rarely made alone. Digital life story books, which include music and video have become increasingly popular amongst individuals in the community also. However, limited research has explored how the digital elements are experienced and how it links to wellbeing. Understanding these processes can help identify what experiences are important for couples to live well with dementia, and therefore what aspects may help support individuals and couples in the dementia journey.
This study aims to understand what experiences of creating a digital life story work are important for couples to live well with dementia. A qualitative study is proposed to understand this by interviewing couples about their experiences of creating a digital life story book together after jointly creating a digital life story book for 6 weeks. If the couple agree, follow-up interviews may be conducted to ask couples further about their experiences. The study aims to recruit couples where one of the individuals has a self-reported diagnosis of dementia. The participants will live at home, will have access to a laptop/tablet and will have internet access. Participants will be recruited through the NHS trusts and local community/third sector settings.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/YH/0141
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jun 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion