Unpaid caregivers and healthcare staff experience of DSD in the home
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD) in the home: a constructivist grounded theory analysis of unpaid caregivers and healthcare staff experiences.
IRAS ID
330030
Contact name
Lynsey Homer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Stirling
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 29 days
Research summary
People with dementia are more likely to develop delirium. Delirium has many causes including infection, pain, stroke, alcohol withdrawal, and polypharmacy. People with delirium experience poor outcomes including institutionalisation, falls, dementia, and death, but it is estimated to be preventable in 30-40% of cases (Shrestha and Fick 2020). The ability to determine if someone with dementia has delirium is complicated by the similarity in symptoms, and healthcare staff often rely on background information about symptoms and behaviour from unpaid caregivers (Grossi et al. 2020).
Unpaid caregivers of people living with dementia often face significant and unique challenges. They are often required to make decisions on behalf of the person with dementia because as the illness progresses the person’s capacity to make decisions decreases over time (Sellars et al. 2019). These decisions can range from activities of daily living to more complex decision-making regarding transitions and management of health and healthcare interventions.
This study will recruit unpaid caregivers and healthcare staff who have experience caring for someone with Delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD) in the home.
REC name
HSC REC A
REC reference
24/NI/0081
Date of REC Opinion
6 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion