Tag Archives: carers

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CaHRU at SAPC Annual Scientific Meeting in Dublin 2016

Despina A team from CaHRU, Dr Coral Sirdifield, Dr Jo Middlemass, Despina Laparidou and Professor Niro Siriwardena, attended the 45th Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Society of Academic Primary Care (SAPC) held at Dublin Castle from 6th-8th July where they gave oral, elevator and poster presentations. The conference opening plenary was given by Prof Margaret Cupples from Belfast who spoke on non-pharmacological interventions for cardiovascular prevention. After parallel session and posters Prof Chris Dowrick delivered the 3rd Helen Lester memorial lecture on his work on depression and mental illness, and this was followed by a drinks reception at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.

JoDespina Laparidou (above right) gave an oral presentation on challenges for carers of people with dementia and their support needs from health and social care providers. Jo Middlemass (left) gave an elevator presentation on perceptions and experiences of telemonitoring in older patients with multimorbidity. Niro Siriwardena presented on behalf of Jolien Vos on personal care networks of older people with multimorbidity. Coral Sirdifield presented her poster entitled ‘What does qualitative research on patients’ experiences tell us about how to support safer prescribing of benzodiazepines and and z-drugs?’ Dr Zahid Ashgar’s Dublinposter entitled ‘Suspected cross-sectional study of factors associated with transport to hospital after a suspected convulsion or seizure’ was also presented at the conference.

While they were there, the team also had a little time to sample the cultural delights of Dublin including open air music, Irish dancing and the lively Temple Bar, culminating in an enjoyable conference dinner on Thursday evening.

By Jo Middlemass

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CAHRU at the College of Social Science Summer Conference

IMG-20150703-WA0002CaHRU members, Viet-Hai Phung, Ana Godoy and Dr Jo Middlemass all presented posters at the recent College of Social Science Summer Conference, held at the University of Lincoln Business School on Thursday 2nd July. The purpose of the Conference was to showcase a range of work from across the College of Social Science that had been funded by its small grants scheme.

IMG-20150703-WA0000Ana was busiest as she presented four posters: Resources for Effective Sleep Treatment utilising Community Pharmacists (REST-UP), bisphosphonates and stroke and two for Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC)! Jo and Viet-Hai presented their work on dementia and ethnic inequalities in prehospital care respectively. All six posters generated considerable interest from attendees. Research from the wider School of Health and Social Care was also very well represented. Alongside the poster sessions were three sessions with 20 oral presentations from PhD students and staff. As with the posters, the oral presentations captured the diversity of the College’s work: from the work of the Red Cross to the future of Christmas markets; from gender identities and football through to the psychology of decision-making; from empathy in nursing to branding cities.

Viet-Hai_posterIt is sometimes felt that students and academics rarely know what research colleagues in other parts of a School or College do. If the university is serious about raising awareness about the work of different departments, schools and colleges, then events such as this should become a permanent fixture in the academic calendar.

Viet-Hai Phung

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Carers of dementia sufferers: Empowerment and Efficacy via Education (CADS: E3)

BA team from CaHRU, led by Dr Jo Middlemass has come together with researchers from the Schools of Education (Prof Terence Karran), Psychology (Dr John Hudson) and Social Science (Despina Laparidou, Prof Niro Siriwardena, Dr Karen Windle, Dr Paul Mansfield) to conduct a study investigating quality of life and outcomes for informal caregivers of people with dementia. Dementia – which includes conditions such as Alzheimer’s – is a progressive degenerative neurological disease with no known cure. There are approximately 800,000 UK patients currently, and it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more than 100 million people suffering from the disease worldwide.

BThis study, funded by the University of Lincoln Research Investment Fund, aims to improve carer and patient outcomes by developing a psychoeducational intervention for carers of people with dementia, with an emphasis on carers undertaking a more formal monitoring role. The study, which started in August 2014, has a mixed-methods design, involving a systematic literature review and a qualitative study, including both focus groups and interviews, with caregivers of people with dementia and with health care professionals.

The anticipated end of the study is July 2015 and future plans include conducting a feasibility study and thereafter a full clinical trial to test the proposed intervention and its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness on a larger scale.

Despina Laparidou