The impact on the family when one member has a label of dementia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Stories of the impact on families when one member has a label of dementia
IRAS ID
221546
Contact name
William Pearson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of East London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Approximately 850,000 people in the UK are currently living with dementia, of which two-thirds live in the community supported by an estimated 700,000 informal family carers. As the population ages these figures are set to rise and there is therefore a growing need to enhance support provided to both people with a label of dementia (PWLD) and their families. Current research indicates that poor quality of life, depression, and anxiety are common amongst PWLD. Similarly, family carers report high levels of distress and burden. However it has been suggested that there has been a widespread failure to support them.
The proposed research will therefore explore the impact on the family when a person is given a diagnosis of dementia and the challenge it faces in providing support. Unstructured qualitative interviews will take place with the family, including the PWLD, as a whole and with individuals separately. Narrative analysis with a social constructionist framework will be used as it allows for an exploration of the way a dementia label shapes the lives of people affected by dementia. Findings will be used to support health professionals in overcoming barriers to maintaining individual and family identity, to therefore enhance the diagnostic process and provision of support and subsequently reduce distress.
REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0839
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion