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  • QAOA_09_2016_0038.R2

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Notes from the hospital bedside: reflections on researcher roles and responsibilities at the end of life in dementia

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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>1/08/2017
<mark>Journal</mark>Quality in Ageing and Older Adults
Issue number3
Volume18
Number of pages11
Pages (from-to)201-211
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

PurposeThis study explores some of the ethical and practical dilemmas faced by an experienced researcher in undertaking research with a person with dementia [whom we have called Amy]. Amy died shortly after a period of observation had ended and the family subsequently consented to the data being shared. Design/methodology/approachThis individual case study presentation was nested within a larger study conducted in England and Scotland between 2013 - 2014. The overall aim of the main study was to investigate how health care professionals and informal carers recognised, assessed and managed pain in patients living with dementia in a range of acute settings.FindingsThe presented case study of Amy raises three critical reflection points: i) Researcher providing care, i.e. the place and positioning of compassion in research observation; ii) What do the stories mean? i.e. the reframing of Amy’s words, gestures and behaviours as (end of) life review, potentially highlights unresolved personal conflicts and reflections on loss; and iii) Communication is embodied i.e. the need to move beyond the recording of words to represent lived experience and into more multi-sensory methods of data capture. Originality/valueResearcher guidance and training about end of life observations in dementia is presently absent in the literature and this case study stimulates debate in a much overlooked area, including the role of ethics committees.

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This article is (c) Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.