Life Story Work in Older Adults May Improve Dementia Care

Researchers from the University of York (UK) have found that life story work (LSW) could potentially help older adults with dementia. Results of the study showed that many health and social care services in England now use LSW but in many different ways (published online in Health Serv Deliv Res. 2016).

LSW is a social intervention that, when used in older adults, involves helping them record aspects of their past and present lives along with future hopes. These chronicles are typically recorded in a book, folder, or even in music and multimedia formats.

Research fellow Kate Gridley and colleagues conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups with a varied sample of older adults, family members, and dementia care staff and providers in different settings to explore LSW experiences and best practices. A systematic review was also performed, which included research on theories of change for LSW.

A national survey of family caregivers and dementia service providers was conducted in six care homes and four hospital wards to test the feasibility of doing a full-scale evaluation of LSW in these settings.

Ms Gridley, in a statement, said: “The study identified some improvements in staff attitudes towards people with dementia in care homes where they introduced [LSW], and improvements in quality of life for some of the people with dementia, although the numbers were small. The cost of delivering [LSW] is relatively low, and staff felt that doing [LSW] encouraged interactions with family, and helped staff to get to know the person with dementia.”

Ms Gridley and her team ultimately concluded that LSW has the potential to help those with dementia. In terms of future research, a full-scale evaluation is still needed.
—Amanda Del Signore