It is important to support the wellbeing of people living with dementia in residential care settings. Best practice guidance tells us that meaningful activities and engagement are essential for this. However, as “meaningfulness” is different for each person it has led to a lack of consensus of what successful engagement is and how to support it. Without a clear understanding of what we are hoping to achieve it becomes impossible to know how successfully we are supporting people.
What is the project doing?
We created an education and reflection resource to be used by anyone working in residential care settings to support meaningful engagement for people living with dementia.
The resource draws from an evidence-based conceptual model describing the different outcomes people living with dementia hope to achieve through feeling occupied and engaged.
It guides staff through the different ways that meaning is created and helps staff to reflect on their values and strengths.
The resource comprises an introductory video, a reflective workbook to be undertaken in small groups, and a set of ideas cards to have available around the home.
What do you hope to achieve?
Through helping staff to think more broadly about what might be important to people living with dementia, this project aims to improve the wellbeing and opportunities for meaningful engagement for people living with dementia in residential care settings. It also aims to support staff to plan and evaluate engagement.
Links and Downloads
External Collaborators
Partner Organisations
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
Economic and Social Research Council Impact Acceleration Accounts (ESRC IAA)
ARC South West Staff
Dr Rebecca Abbott
Senior Research Fellow