Conducting randomized controlled trials with older people with dementia in long-term care: Challenges and lessons learnt.
The characteristics of older people with dementia and the long-term care environment can make conducting research a challenge and, as such, this population and setting are often understudied, particularly in terms of clinical or randomized controlled trials. This paper provides a critical discussion of some of the difficulties faced whilst implementing a randomized controlled trial exploring the effect of a live music programme on the behaviour of older people with dementia in long-term care. A discussion of how these challenges were addressed is presented to aid investigators planning the design of similar research and help encourage a proactive approach in dealing with research-related challenges right from project conception. The article is structured according to the three principles of a randomized controlled trial in order to keep experimental rigour at the forefront of this research area.
Research Centre for Clinical and Community Practice Innovation, Griffith Institute for Health and Medical Research, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Jenny
J
Murfield
Marie
M
Cooke
Wendy
W
Moyle
David
D
Shum
Scott
S
Harrison
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design