Sensory support for hearing and vision impairment in residents with dementia living in the care home setting Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Conditions
Interventions
There will be two study arms involving up to 10 nursing homes across Ireland, randomly allocated (1:1) to receive a complex intervention, the Sensory Support Intervention for care homes (SSI-C), or to
Sponsors
Trinity College Dublin
Welcome Trust - HRB Clinical Research Facility (CRF)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Current inclusion criteria as of 16/06/2025: LTC Facility: 1. At least 60% of residents live with dementia 2. Must be ‘compliant' or 'substantially compliant' on all regulations based on Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) reports 3. The Director of Nursing (DON) is willing and able to release staff to attend sensory health training sessions and contribute to data collection 4. The DON is willing to work with the research team to inform staff, RwD, and families/supporters about the study 5. The DON is willing to identify potential sensory champions from existing staff 6. The DON is willing to help identify potential RwD to participate in the study and provide an estimation of capacity to consent to participation Resident with Dementia (RwD): 1. Is aged = 60 years 2. Is a permanent resident of a participating LTCF 3. Has mild to moderate stage dementia (FAST score 4-6) or significant cognitive difficulties suggesting dementia 4. If taking cognitive-enhancing medication, the dose must be stable for at least 4 weeks prior to screening 5. Is willing to participate or has a nominated legal representative who consents on their behalf 6. Has the capacity to give informed consent or has a nominated Legal Representative to provide consent Staff (Sensory Champions, General Staff): 1. Is aged = 18 years 2. Is a current member of staff in a participating LTCF for at least 3 months and involved in the care of RwD (including DONs, nurses, allied health professionals, and front-line care workers) Previous inclusion criteria: 1. Care Home has at least 60% of residents with dementia. 2. Care Home must be ‘compliant’ or ‘substantially compliant’ based on HIQA reports. 3. Staff Is aged =18 years. 4. Staff Is a current member of staff in a participating care home and is involved in the care of the RwD (all grades including: Director of Nursing; nurses; allied health professionals and front-line care workers). 5. Resident with Dementia (RwD) Is aged =60 years. 6. RwD Is a permanent resident of a participating care home. 7. RwD Has received a clinical diagnosis of dementia or has evidence of dementia as per care home staff 8. RwD Has mild to moderate stage of dementia as indicated by a score of 1 or 2 on the Clinical Dementia Rating global score (CDR) 9. RwD if taking cognitive enhancing medication (i.e., cholinesterase inhibitors or memantine), this must on a stable, unchanged dose for at least 4 weeks prior to screening. 10. RwD is willing to participate in the study and will accept the SSI-C. 11. RwD has mental capacity to give informed consent to participate in the study or has a nominated consultee (a primary care worker, named at the study start) to provide consent on their behalf.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Current exclusion criteria as of 16/06/2025: LTC Facility: 1. Has received a 'non-compliant' status on one or more regulation on the most recent HIQA inspection report 2. Has insufficient staff to provide two sensory champions to deliver the SSI-RC 3. Is participating in any other research project involving service model change 4. Is taking part in another research study that would interfere with the conduct or outcomes of SENSE-Cog Residential Care Resident with Dementia: 1. Is unwilling to participate in the study. 2. Lacks capacity to consent and does not have a nominated Legal Representative to consent on their behalf 3. Has an unstable medical or psychiatric condition 4. Part of any other sensory support-based intervention Staff (Sensory Champions, General Staff): 1. Has insufficient time allocation to participate in the education sessions of the SSI-RC Previous exclusion criteria: 1. Care Home has received a ‘non-compliant’ status on HIQA quality standards at their last inspection 2. Care Home has insufficient staff to provide two Sensory Champions to deliver the SSI-C 3. Care Home is participating in any other research project involving service model change 4. Staff have insufficient time allocation to participate in the education sessions of the SSI-C 5. Staff intending to change jobs in the next 6 months 6. Resident with Dementia (RwD) is unwilling to participate 7. RwD has an unstable medical or psychiatric condition
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Feasibility to conduct the SSI-C in Irish care homes is measured using, the rate of recruitment of care homes, and retention rate of randomised homes and participants. 2. Feasibility of the intervention is measured using percentage staff agreeing to participate, staff reporting sufficient time to undertake the intervention, barriers, and facilitators of the intervention. 3. Acceptability/tolerability of the intervention is measured using Staff attendance, Residents’ adverse event (AE) rate related to the intervention and Staff perceptions of the training component using qualitative interviews and the Training Acceptability Rating Scale (TARS), pre-post training. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Exploratory Outcome Set for Residents (EOS-R) measured using key dementia- and sensory- related outcomes including measures of quality of life at three time points: baseline and post-intervention (3- and 6-months). 2. Battery of Care home staff measures including sensory-cognitive health knowledge and change in staff practice, care home culture measured using self-report questionnaires and qualitative interviews at three time points: baseline and post-intervention (3- and 6-months). 3. Battery of Care Environment measures including sensory aspects such as the physical environment (light, temperature, and noise) using Screening Surveys and standardised assessment protocols at three time points: baseline and post-intervention (3- and 6-months). | — |
Countries
Ireland
Contacts
Public ContactAnn-Michelle Mulally
Outcome results
None listed