Principal Investigator:

Dr. Jennifer Baumbusch, RN PhD

Co-Investigators:

Dr. Elisabeth Drance, MD
Dr. Paddy Rodney, PhD, RN
Dr. Deborah O’Connor, PhD, MSW
Dr. Catherine Ward-Griffin, PhD, RN
Dr. Alison Phinney, PhD, RN
Dr. Robert Colin Reid,PhD
Jo-Ann Tait

Funding:

Canadian Frailty Network Catalyst Grant

Alzheimer Society of Canada Quality of Life Grant

Funding Years: 2016-2018

Study Overview:

The purpose of this study was to co-develop a workshop series with families to provide education, peer support and networking opportunities for families of residents living in long-term care (LTC) facilities. The goal of SENSE (Support, Education, networking & Sustained Engagement) was to foster family members inclusion and improve their involvement in the care of residents.

This study came out of the IDEAL study which is a critical ethnography examining the negotiation of care work among families, residents and staff in LTC. Family members participating in the study identified a desire for education, peer support and networking. Specifically, they identified three areas they would like to learn more about: i) the progression of dementia and implications for end-of-life care, ii) managing responsive behaviours (i.e. aggression) between residents, and iii) communication with staff around resident care. Each SENSE Workshop incorporated three elements: i) educational content based on the knowledge being generated in the IDEAL study, ii) peer support, and iii) networking. 

Knowledge Translation:

Presentations:

Baumbusch, J., Cooke, H.A., Phinney, A., Rodney, P., Reid, C.,  Drance, E., Ward-Griffin, C., Tait, J., & O’Connor, D. (2018, July). Creating SENSE with families in long-term residential care: An intervention. Paper presented to the 47th Annual Conference of the British Society on Gerontology, Manchester, UK.

Baumbusch, J. (October 2018). Fostering support, education, networking and sustained engagement in long-term care: a research co-creation project with families. Paper presented at the BC SUPPORT Unit: Advancing Patient-Oriented Research Conference. Vancouver, BC.

Baumbusch, J. (Nov 13, 2019). Making SENSE with families in long-term care: a knowledge-to-action study. Webinar. Canadian Frailty Network. Available at: https://www.cfn-nce.ca/webinar/making-sense-with-families-in-long-term-care-a-knowledge-to-action-study/