How do you feel about the care older people receive in the last few months of life?
Have you cared for someone over 75 years old who died of stroke, heart failure or lung cancer? Would you like to share your experiences for a new study?
Researchers are looking at experiences of moves between different places of care towards the end of life. This study is looking at people who were over 75 years old and died of stroke, heart failure or lung cancer.
Who is doing this research?
The project is being led from the University of Liverpool, with collaborating researchers from the Universities of Lancaster, Manchester, Oxford and Southampton. The project team includes internationally recognised researchers with considerable experience in conducting research concerning the end of life.
Interviews with patients, caregivers and health professionals are being carried out in north west England and central southern England. The research has been funded for three years (2009-2012) by the NHS National Institute for Health Research through its Service Delivery and Organisation Programme.
Why are they doing this research?
Older people sometimes move between different health care settings such as hospitals, hospices and their home towards the end of their lives. The NHS National Institute for Health Research wants to understand more about how these moves happen and what they mean for the people involved.
They are interested in how often and in what ways these moves happen. They are exploring the reasons behind any moves, and the experiences of the services received. Were there any consequences, good or bad, for the person involved, or their family?
How are they carrying out the study?
They are using three different methods to find out more about moves between different health care settings. They are studying the statistics about people moving in and out of hospital and other settings. They are now talking to patients and their caregivers, friends and relatives to find out the real stories behind the numbers. Later in the study, they will be talking to health professionals and the people who organise and manage care about their perspectives. This will involve discussing the key messages which we find through studying the statistics and talking to patients, and their caregivers, friends and relatives.
How can I help?
The statistics about moves between health care settings can tell us about the big picture, including the most common patterns. To understand more about these moves and any consequences, they want to find out how these moves happen, what they mean and anything else which is important to the people involved.
So they would like to know about your experiences of caring for (or being close to) someone who moved between different places in the last six months before they died. Their interviews will cover why your friend or relative moved, or did not move from one place to another, and how you all felt about care in different places. They are also interested in how the care that your relative or friend received affected you and your family. This may have been emotionally, socially, physically or financially.
How can I find out more?
To find out more, or if you are interested in taking part, please contact Elizabeth Thompson:
- Nightingale Building (Building 67)
School of Health Sciences
University of Southampton
Highfield, Southampton
SO17 1BJ
-
Telephone: 023 8059 7888 (ext. 28228)
-
Email:
E.M.Thompson@soton.ac.uk