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Collaborating Residential Care Facilities
Many people with dementia require residential care at some point in their lives. Improving the care delivered to people with dementia living in Residential Care Facilities is widely acknowledged as being very important. However, the most effective way to convert knowledge regarding high quality care into practice is uncertain. Staff at the Residential Care Facilities and General Practitioners (GPs) play a key role in this care. Providing education to both these care groups is likely to be central to the improvement in the care delivered to residents of Residential Care Facilities.
Aim of this study
To investigate whether educational information delivered to GPs and Residential Care Facilities staff will improve care delivery, and lead to improvements in the quality of life of residential care residents.
What you will be asked to do
The facility you manage is invited to join this study. The study will run over three years in total and is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Participating facilities will be randomly allocated (by chance like the flip of a coin) to one of four groups.
- Education delivered to facility GPs and Care staff
- Education delivered to facility GPs only
- Education delivered to Care staff only
- Usual care - no additional educational activity
Study staff will seek your assistance to contact GPs, staff and relatives/carers of residents from your facility. Study staff will work with interested parties to design and deliver an educational program, regarding the care of people with dementia. This will include staff focus groups and surveys. Study staff will liaise with you, and/or your delegates, regarding the timing of educational activities and attendance of staff at any educational activities. Study staff will visit the facility to assess each eligible consenting resident three times over 12 months. Assessment will include general health, sleeping habits, mood, memory, any pain, ability to perform everyday activities and QOL. Interviews should take approximately 30-40 minutes of resident's time. Study staff will also review the medical records of consenting residents to take note of investigations performed, medications used and medical problems that might have arisen during the study period.
Possible adverse effects
The research team is conscious that participation in the study will entail investment of time by some facility staff, and that this relies on the good-will of facility managers and staff. The study budget will not enable staff "back-fill" for attendees at educational activities to be fully reimbursed, although negotiation of nominal reimbursement to partially offset costs incurred by some facilities may be possible.
How your organisation's information will be handled
All information gathered will be kept strictly confidential. The notes will be locked away in a filing cabinet, and a number will replace names in the electronic database. The study will be carried out in a manner conforming to the principles set out by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the University of Western Australia. Several parties have an interest in the results of the study and will be permitted to handle your data. Because of this wider circle, special arrangements are in place to ensure that your data is handled in strict confidence and in compliance with all privacy laws (in Australia, this is the Privacy Act 1988). Your name and your organisation's name will not appear on study documents and only duly authorised persons will have access to your data. Your name (or the organisation's name) will not appear on any document or publication.
Potential benefits
Your participation in this project may be of benefit to your organisation through the delivery of additional educational activities. Close monitoring (through regular assessments) may benefit participating residents. Any problems identified will be brought to the attention of staff caring for the resident. The study results will have implications for managers and staff of the residential care sector and policy makers. Through improvement in care delivery, the project has potential to directly improve the quality of life of people living in Residential Care Facilities and their carers.
Your rights
Your organisation's participation in this study is voluntary and you are free to withdraw from the study at any time without explanation. Participation in the study is not a contract and does not imply any responsibility to the University. Your participation in this study does not prejudice any right to compensation, which you may have under statute or common law.
Further information
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions relevant to Residential Care Facilities. However, if you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact:
Kelly Banz
Study Coordinator, DIRECT Study
Email: Kelly.Banz@uwa.edu.au
Phone: 9224 8440
Fax: 9224 2063
Postal Address:
WA Centre for Health and Ageing
The University of Western Australia
Royal Perth Hospital Unit (M573)
GPO Box X2213
PERTH WA 6847
