An analysis of the the volunteer dementia project.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A mixed methods investigation into the effectiveness of volunteers for hospital inpatients with dementia.
IRAS ID
237983
Contact name
Julian Hughes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal United Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 29 days
Research summary
The Volunteer Dementia Project (VDP) is a joint venture between the Royal United Hospitals Foundation Trust, Bath (RUH), the Alzheimer’s Society and the Forever Friends Appeal. VDP aims to provide hospital in-patients who have a diagnosis of dementia with support and input from a trained volunteer with the aim of improving their hospital stay. RICE - The Research Institute for the Care of Older People has been commissioned to study the effectiveness of the VDP. We shall pursue a mixed methods evaluation to determine how the VDP affects patients, staff, carers, volunteers and the hospital as a whole.\n\nWe shall undertake a thorough literature review in order to understand the current evidence base. Following appropriate ethical approval, we shall conduct the following:\n1. Surveys: Specially designed questionnaires for patients, volunteers, staff and carers. \n2. Focus Groups: Small groups consisting of carers, staff and volunteers. Groups will be recorded and transcribed with a thematic analysis.\n3. Interviews: 1-1 interviews will be conducted by the researcher with carers, staff and volunteers. These will be recorded and transcribed.\n4. Dementia Care Mapping (DCM): Patients will be observed by a trained researcher and their actions and interactions documented. Patients will be mapped over 4-6 hours: before, during and after a meeting with the volunteer. \n5. Ethnographic notes will be made by researchers from their general observations on the wards. \n6. Basic data - on the number of patients with dementia in hospital and the number of volunteer interactions - will be collected.\n\nThe conclusions emerging from the different types of data will be compared in an iterative fashion and synthesis achieved, e.g. by comparing themes from the qualitative data with evidence from the survey or from DCM, so that an overall picture can be produced.\n
REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
18/WA/0137
Date of REC Opinion
13 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion