Living with dementia in a care home: capturing the experiences of residents

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider the experiences and perspectives of residents with dementia living in a care home.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews current sources of evidence about “the care home experience”, including material drawn from: research instruments, interviews, observational methods and phenomenological research which aims to capture the lived experiences of residents.

Findings

Research that is attempting to capture the lived experiences of residents further adds to the understanding of quality of life (QoL) and quality of care. Specifically, residents prioritise non‐disease‐related domains of QoL, which is somewhat different than those identified by relatives, care home staff and “objective” measures.

Originality/value

Not only is it evident that residents are able to describe aspects of their situation but they appear to retain a sense of self and identity. There is a distinctive need for assessment of QoL amongst residents with dementia that places their subjective view of this concept at its core.

Citation

Milne, A. (2011), "Living with dementia in a care home: capturing the experiences of residents", Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 76-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/14717791111144687