Developing Health Services
This study has developed a Decision Aid, called the GOLD Book (an abbreviation of Guiding Options for Living with Dementia) for carers of people with dementia. Many different community care services are provided to people with dementia and their carers but it can be difficult knowing which services will be best.
The GOLD Book will help carers to think through decisions about the help they need in a step by step manner. The book contains current medical and social information about dementia and services along with decision tools.
The book development was guided by the published literature and access to an expert advisory group including representatives of Alzheimer's Australia, Carers Tasmania and the Commonwealth Carelink and Respite Centre. The GOLD Book was then assessed by health care professionals and carers of people with dementia through focus groups and interviews. The GOLD Book is now at the pilot trial stage, with groups of carers of people with dementia in the community, to test its efficacy as a decision aid for accessing respite services.
Research Team:
Dr Christine Stirling, Senior Research Fellow (Group Leader & Contact Person)
Barbara Lloyd, Project Officer
Professor Andrew Robinson, Wicking Co-Director Professor
James Vickers, Wicking Co-Director
Research Collaborators:
Dr Jenn Scott, School of Psychology, UTAS
Associate Professor Paul Turner, School of Computing and Information Systems, UTAS
Professor Jenny Abbey, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Toby Croft, Royal Hobart Hospital, TAS
Ms Janet Carty, Community and Aged Care, Department of Health and Human Services, TAS
Mr David Spence, Community and Aged Care, Department of Health and Human Services, TAS
Outcomes
Stirling, C., Lloyd, B., Scott, J., Abbey, J., Croft, T., & Robinson, A. (Submitted 2010) Deciding about Services: development of a decision aid for carers of persons with dementia using a critical realist framework. Health Education and Behaviour.
Lloyd, B., Stirling, C. (Submitted 2010). Ambiguous gain: Uncertain benefits of service use for dementia carers. Sociology of Health & Illness.
Stirling, C., Lloyd, B., Croft, T., Vickers, J. & Robinson, A. 2009. Experiences of ambiguity and ambivalence in the lives of dementia caregivers: Implications for policy and practice. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 28 (2) A79.
Stirling, C., Lloyd, B., Abbey, J., Vickers, J., Scott, J., Turner, P., Croft, T. & Robinson, A. Facilitating dementia service decision making in order to decrease carer unmet need. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 28 (2) A117.
Stirling, CM and Robinson, A. 'Re-framing decision aids for use in dementia care and management: The GOLD Book. DSDC's 3rd International Conference Proceedings, 14-16 September 2009, York, UK.