Using Personal Message cards to reduce distress on hospital wards
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using a personal message intervention to reduce levels of distress amongst people affected by dementia staying on hospital wards
IRAS ID
234511
Contact name
Richard Cheston
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of the West of England
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 31 days
Research summary
When people with dementia are separated from the important people in their lives, then this can cause distress. There is some evidence that during these times of separation, for some people with dementia hearing the voice of their husband or wife, or another member of their family can reduce this distress. One way to play such a recording is by asking the main carer eg a relative/friend to record a personal voice message on a recordable greetings card. We have called these a “personal message” or PM cards, and have collected preliminary evidence that they can be helpful when they are used in the community.
We are inviting people with dementia who have been admitted to the Royal United Hospital (RUH) to take part in a study to see whether listening to the voice of their carer on a device such as a PM card can also be effective in this environment. We are working with the dementia volunteers at the RUH to introduce interventions like the personal message cards into the hospital and to see whether they reduce people’s distress at being separated from family and friends.
People with dementia who are admitted to the RUH and showing signs of distress and their families will be invited to meet with a hospital volunteer to design and record a message in the PM card. We will collect data about patients' behaviour before and after they have made the card. We want to see if there are any changes in behaviour up to two weeks over their stay in hospital, or when they are discharged, whichever is soonest. We aim to recruit at least 12 participants over four months.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
17/WA/0318
Date of REC Opinion
12 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion