The twice-yearly event was kindly hosted on this occasion by the Belong Morris Feinmann Community Care Village, Didsbury, on Tuesday 11 September 2018. 

ENRICH was launched as a national initiative in summer 2011 with the aim of encouraging and guiding researchers wishing to conduct research with care home residents, staff and families. 

Today there are more than 70 care homes in Greater Manchester registered with the scheme.

This latest event was held to provide research-active homes with updates on the latest ENRICH developments, some active research study updates and to encourage other homes to get involved.

In addition to a general update on ENRICH in Greater Manchester, coupled with a presentation about the NIHR’s Join Dementia Research and GM’s ERICA initiative, the audience heard guest presentations from:

• Professor Catherine Walshe, Lancaster University, on ‚ÄúNamaste Care‚Äù – a feasibility trial to improve the quality of dying for people with advanced dementia living in care homes.

• Francine Jury, University of Manchester, on the ‚ÄúSense-Cog‚Äù trial – knowledge, attitudes and practice of care home management, staff, residents and family members in relation to hearing and vision impairments.

• Stacey Coughlin, a community visual artist and emotional support worker, who is also a research student at Manchester Metropolitan University. Stacey is seeking two care homes whose residents would wish to collaborate with her on her study focusing on identity and den-making.

There are many ways in which people working in care homes can be involved with research. By supporting research, they can help improve the quality of life for residents and other people living with dementia and other conditions associated with ageing.

Supporting research in a care home environment can range from distributing information about research, promoting JDR, to helping conduct studies on-site with residents and their families.

Research to date already conducted in Greater Manchester includes studies into new therapies such as cognitive stimulation, drugs trials looking at reducing memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease patients, to questionnaires on topics such as the person’s transition from home care to residential care.

Through ENRICH, CRN GM can support local care homes in becoming research-ready.

Dr Angela Parker, CRN GM Research Delivery Manager, told the audience: “Historically, clinical research has always been done in primary and secondary care settings. But we are delighted that a focus is now being placed on public health and social care research. In order to achieve better outcomes for our ageing population, the Department of Health is really emphasising the importance of conducting research with residents living in care homes and their families.

“Clinical research is part of the NHS constitution, so as we move into this social care setting it is vital that we collaborate with care homes across Greater Manchester and work towards delivering studies with you.

“Research really does make a difference and hopefully it will become an integral part of what you do. All of your support, to whatever extent you have capacity, is extremely valued and the Clinical Research Network is here to support you in any way we can.”

For more information about the ENRICH programme in Greater Manchester, please contact Margaret Broughton-Smith or Phil Tinkler or call 0161 901 5608

Please find the original story here: CRN GM hosts region’s biggest care home research day to date