What promotes wellbeing of older-adult forensic mental health inpatients?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What promotes wellbeing of older-adult forensic health patients? Perceptions from older-adult forensic inpatients and staff.
IRAS ID
223996
Contact name
Jane-Louise Jackson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The needs of older-adults are becoming increasing relevant due to the ageing population as indicated by the World Health Organisation. This study will explore the wellbeing of older-adults who are inpatients of NHS forensic mental health settings. This population potentially experience multi-level discrimination due to their mental health, forensic status (i.e. past, or potential risk to the public) and age. The potentially negative effects of this discrimination, coupled with the typical challenges of ageing (e.g. loss, role transition and declining physical health) further emphasise the importance of research to explore and gain an understanding of these complex needs and how they impact on wellbeing.
Qualitative exploration of wellbeing will be carried out via face-to-face one-to-one interviews with patients (age 55+years) and staff focus groups, where the researcher will prompt discussions about what patients and staff think is important to older-inpatients of secure forensic mental health wards (where they are themselves inpatients age 55+years or health professionals working as part of the multi-disciplinary team). Comparing findings from staff and inpatients will hopefully increase the understanding of professional caring relationships, which have an invaluable role in challenging anti-social beliefs and behaviours, which may lead to future forensic behaviour. In addition, this study’s findings will be viewed in comparison with the Good Lives Model approach to mental healthcare in forensic inpatient (strengths-based rehabilitation programme focused on different elements of life including social, relationships, education, health etc.). This study will therefore contribute to the evidence base for older-adults being cared for in secure forensic settings and analyse the relevance of current practice to their needs.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
17/WS/0161
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion