Therapeutic music interventions with people with dementia living in residential aged care: Perspectives of residents, family members and care home staff from a cluster randomised controlled trial

Author(s):  
Young‐Eun C. Lee ◽  
Phoebe A. Stretton‐Smith ◽  
Jeanette Tamplin ◽  
Tanara Vieira Sousa ◽  
Felicity A. Baker
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicity Anne Baker ◽  
Phoebe Stretton-Smith ◽  
Tanara Vieira Sousa ◽  
Imogen Clark ◽  
Alice Cotton ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The resources involved in delivering a clinical trial in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) are significant and the success of a trial is dependent upon adequate planning, including appropriate timelines for each component of the study and the required budget. The main aim of this paper is to describe process and resource assessment during recruitment, collection of outcome measures and intervention delivery and present learnings and considerations for conducting trials in RACFs with people living with dementia. Methods: We collected data across 24 clusters in 12 RACFs over 18 months during a cluster randomised controlled trial which was testing the effectiveness of music interventions in people living with dementia. Data were collected on resources required for recruitment and assessment of baseline data, as well as data on reasons for participant non-attendance at the interventions. Results: Results show that time between contacting next of kin and receiving formal consent often exceeded 45 days and the ratio of time between direct and indirect research activity is approximately 1:2. Participant intervention adherence is at risk from unplanned RACF lockdowns and reasons for non-attendance include those both related directly to the participant and to staff resources, scheduling or other practical considerations. Conclusions: Researchers planning studies within RACFs should focus on building relationships with RACF staff and resident families, factor in adequate time for recruitment in the study timeline and consider budgeting for backfill of RACF staff during data collection phases to expedite the process and ensure adherence to study protocol timelines. This study provides specific data on resource assessment and intervention adherence that could be beneficial for future researchers planning to conduct trials in RACFs with people with dementia. Trial registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry: ANZCTR12618000156280, 1/02/2018, http://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12618000156280


BMJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. n2364
Author(s):  
S Iuliano ◽  
S Poon ◽  
J Robbins ◽  
M Bui ◽  
X Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the antifracture efficacy and safety of a nutritional intervention in institutionalised older adults replete in vitamin D but with mean intakes of 600 mg/day calcium and <1 g/kg body weight protein/day.DesignTwo year cluster randomised controlled trial.Setting60 accredited residential aged care facilities in Australia housing predominantly ambulant residents.Participants7195 permanent residents (4920 (68%) female; mean age 86.0 (SD 8.2) years).InterventionFacilities were stratified by location and organisation, with 30 facilities randomised to provide residents with additional milk, yoghurt, and cheese that contained 562 (166) mg/day calcium and 12 (6) g/day protein achieving a total intake of 1142 (353) mg calcium/day and 69 (15) g/day protein (1.1 g/kg body weight). The 30 control facilities maintained their usual menus, with residents consuming 700 (247) mg/day calcium and 58 (14) g/day protein (0.9 g/kg body weight).Main outcome measuresGroup differences in incidence of fractures, falls, and all cause mortality.ResultsData from 27 intervention facilities and 29 control facilities were analysed. A total of 324 fractures (135 hip fractures), 4302 falls, and 1974 deaths were observed. The intervention was associated with risk reductions of 33% for all fractures (121 v 203; hazard ratio 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.48 to 0.93; P=0.02), 46% for hip fractures (42 v 93; 0.54, 0.35 to 0.83; P=0.005), and 11% for falls (1879 v 2423; 0.89, 0.78 to 0.98; P=0.04). The risk reduction for hip fractures and falls achieved significance at five months (P=0.02) and three months (P=0.004), respectively. Mortality was unchanged (900 v 1074; hazard ratio 1.01, 0.43 to 3.08).ConclusionsImproving calcium and protein intakes by using dairy foods is a readily accessible intervention that reduces the risk of falls and fractures commonly occurring in aged care residents.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000228785.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e041891
Author(s):  
André Kratzer ◽  
Jennifer Scheel ◽  
Karin Wolf-Ostermann ◽  
Annika Schmidt ◽  
Katrin Ratz ◽  
...  

IntroductionShared-housing arrangements (SHAs) are small, home-like care environments in Germany. Residents are predominantly people with dementia. The risk for all-cause hospitalisation is consistently higher for people with dementia compared with people without dementia and there is currently no evidence-based intervention to reduce the risk of hospitalisation. Thus, the DemWG study investigates whether a complex intervention is effective in reducing hospitalisation (primary outcome), behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and falls and for stabilising cognitive functioning and quality of life in people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in German SHAs.Methods and analysisBased on the UK Medical Research Council framework ‘Developing and evaluating complex interventions’, a prospective, mixed-methods, multicentre, cluster-randomised controlled trial combining primary and secondary data analyses as well as quantitative and qualitative research methods is being conducted. The intervention consists of three parts: (A) education of nursing staff in SHAs; (B) awareness raising and continuing medical education (CME) of general practitioners; (C) multicomponent non-pharmacological group intervention MAKS-mk+ (‘m’=motor training; ‘k’=cognitive training; ‘+’=fall prevention) for people with dementia and MCI. Randomisation is stratified by the German federal states and type of setting (rural vs urban). Neither the trained professionals nor the participants are blinded. Data are collected at baseline and after 6, 12 and 18 months with standardised instruments. Quantitative data will be analysed by multivariate analyses according to the general linear model, qualitative data using qualitative content analysis. Recruitment is still ongoing until 31 December 2020.Ethics and disseminationAll procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Bremen (Ref. 2019-18-06-3). Informed consent will be obtained before enrolment of participants. Due to findings of previous randomised controlled trials, serious adverse events are not expected. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journal publications and conference presentations.Trial registration numberISRCTN89825211.


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