NIHR ARC National Priority Programme: Wellbeing in care homes
Research type
Research Study
Full title
NIHR ARC National Priority Programme: Wellbeing in care homes
IRAS ID
340821
Contact name
Nick J Smith
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Kent
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Around 400,000 older adults live in care homes in England. However, there is currently no systematic way of measuring or reporting care home residents’ quality of life (QoL). The Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) and the ICEpop CAPability measure for Older people (ICECAP-O) are validated measures of QoL of people using social care, and older people, respectively. They have been used internationally in economic evaluation, and to inform evidence-based policy and practice. In England, both tools were included in the recent Developing resources and minimum data set for care homes’ adoption study (DACHA https://dachastudy.com). In Australia and Sweden, ASCOT is also being used by some care providers to inform care plans focused on improving care home residents’ QoL. These care providers use ASCOT with a ‘Circle of Care’ methodology, which brings together the resident, their family member/informal carer, keyworker, and care planning coordinator to set care planning goals.
Building on this, as well as preparatory work conducted by this team, this project aims to pilot the use of ICECAP and ASCOT tools for care planning in four older adult care homes in England. The overarching aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of using these approaches to care planning by examining the effectiveness, acceptability, and adherence to, the tools by staff and residents. Following training and support, participating homes will administer the ASCOT and ICECAP instruments for care planning with the same residents at two time points. Effectiveness of the new approach will be measured through interviews with residents, family members, staff and senior managers, and through analysis of anonymised care records and QoL scores. The implementation process will be examined using interviews, surveys and observations. Findings will inform the further development of the approach, and potentially lead to a future full-scale roll-out of the tools and their evaluation.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/WM/0191
Date of REC Opinion
5 Nov 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion