MS CLAUDIA MEYER
Sharing falls prevention knowledge with people living with dementia and their carers
AWARD:
2010 DCRC-CC Joint Postgraduate Research Scholarship
PROJECT SNAPSHOT:
People living with dementia and their carers, and health professionals who provide care to them in the community are actively involved in an individualised program, aiming to share falls prevention knowledge. People living with dementia and their carers are visited approximately monthly for six months, working with the researcher to reduce their falls risk factors, according to their readiness to change behaviour for a falls risk factor. Community care professionals are involved in identifying areas for change in practice to improve falls prevention and management for people living with dementia.
DETAILED PROJECT SUMMARY:
The Knowledge to Action Framework developed by Dr Ian Graham is used as a knowledge translation theoretical framework for this exploratory study, supported by several behavioural theories.
The primary aim is twofold:
To explore the translation of falls prevention knowledge (falls risk reduction strategies) for PLWD and their caregivers, within the context of readiness to change behaviour; and To understand the translation of falls prevention knowledge for PLWD and their caregivers from the perspective of community care staff, and develop a discussion aid to assist community care staff to manage falls within this population.
To meet this aim, the following objectives will be addressed:
- Identify perceptions of PLWD and their caregiver of the causes and consequences of falls; the importance and meaning attributed to falls and falls prevention; and the provision of falls prevention information
- Identify the context for the PLWD and their caregiver, including the current level of dementia severity; function; activity level; self-efficacy; and caregiver burden
- Identify individual risk factors for falls for the person living with dementia, and readiness to change behaviour for these risk factors
- Present options, facilitate decision-making and support behaviour change to address individual risk factors for the person living with dementia
- Evaluate change in falls rate; falls risk; self-efficacy for the person living with dementia; and carer burden; and engagement of caregiver
- Examine factors associated with positive change in readiness to change behaviour
- Explore change in knowledge and understanding of falls prevention; causes and consequences of falls; and the factors related to adopting falls prevention strategies for PLWD and their caregivers
- To identify barriers and facilitators for community care staff to implement falls prevention best practice for PLWD and their caregivers
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS RESULTING FROM AADRF AWARD:
Journal articles
Claudia Meyer, Sophie Hill, Briony Dow, Anneliese Synnot, and Keith Hill. Translating Falls Prevention Knowledge to Community-Dwelling Older PLWD: A Mixed-Method Systematic Review The Gerontologist, first published online November 11, 2013 doi:10.1093/geront/gnt127
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?:
Ms Meyer's is based at the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI), Melbourne University. She is currently completing her PhD Thesis.
http://dementiaresearchfoundation.org.au/researchers/claudia-meyer
