title: Family group conferencing in dementia care: an exploration of opportunities and challenges.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Family Group Conference (FGC) is an approach to partnership working which brings together service users, their support network and care professionals in a family-led decision making forum. Evidence, though limited, indicates that that FGC can enhance outcomes for service providers and their users. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the pilot FGC service, delivered to people with dementia and their families, in terms of the experience of care provision by families and care professionals involved in the project.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus group interviews were conducted with families and professionals participating in the pilot intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FGC was perceived as having the potential to positively impact service users, their families, service providers and the wider culture of care. However, despite an overall positive evaluation the participants identified a number of challenges related to service implementation. Both the opportunities and challenges identified in this study are discussed in the context of the existing international evidence base.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study contributes to a better understanding of the applicability of FGC as a strategy to support people with dementia and their families. Although promising in terms of potential outcomes for service users and providers, FGC presents challenges which need to be carefully managed in order to secure maximum benefit to all parties.
authors.affiliation: Queen Margaret University,Queen Margaret Drive,Edinburgh,EH21 6UU,Scotland.
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Górska
authors.affiliation: Queen Margaret University,Queen Margaret Drive,Edinburgh,EH21 6UU,Scotland.
authors.forename: Kirsty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Forsyth
authors.affiliation: Queen Margaret University,Queen Margaret Drive,Edinburgh,EH21 6UU,Scotland.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prior
authors.affiliation: Mental Health and Wellbeing,NHS Lothian,Waverley Gate,2-4 Waterloo Place,Edinburgh,EH1 3EG,Scotland.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.affiliation: Midlothian Council,Dalkeith,Scotland.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haughey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers; D003657:Decision Making; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D005190:Family; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Family Group Conferencing; dementia; qualitative analysis; service evaluation