Evaluation of the Good Life with Dementia Approach

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Understanding the Role of 'Peer Tutors' in Post-Diagnostic Support for People with Dementia: A Realist Process Evaluation of the Good Life with Dementia Approach

• IRAS ID

  324935

• Contact name

  Kate Gridley

• Contact email

  kate.gridley@york.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of York

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 2 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Innovative peer-led approaches to post diagnostic support for people with dementia are emerging. One such innovation is the Good Life with Dementia approach which was created (co-produced) by people with dementia for people with dementia.

  Little is known about what makes peer-led programmes in dementia work, or how they can be adapted to support different ethnic communities. This project will explore the relationship between learners, tutors, and facilitators to improve our understanding of how, and in what contexts the Good Life approach might improve people’s wellbeing. It also seeks to understand what encourages learners to become tutors.

  Objectives:
  1) To understand how participants in a Good Life course relate to peer-tutors
  2) Identify what helps learners to progress over time to become peer-tutors
  3) To clarify the support needs of peer-tutors with the Good Life approach
  4) To explore how the course facilitator supports tutor/learner interactions
  5) To explore how cultural and diversity issues could impact on peer-led learning and support within the Good Life approach within the South Asian community

  The study has 3 programmes of work:

  • Programme 1: Review the literature on peer-support and peer-led interventions, and the notes from previous Good Life courses.
  • Programme 2: Observe the design and delivery of a Good Life Course and analyse any notes made by facilitators and tutors. Interview course participants (learner, tutors, and the people supporting them).
  • Programme 3: Speak to three groups of people with dementia within the South Asian community to explore how the Good Life course should be adapted

  Public involvement
  Co-production lies at the heart of this project. Three experts by experience will be supporting project delivery, including data collection, analysis and dissemination. They are all living with dementia and have been tutors on past iterations of the Good Life course themselves.

• REC name

  West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/WM/0088

• Date of REC Opinion

  22 May 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion