An Analysis of Research Methods in Dementia Care: Essay on Approaches

This essay provides a comparative analysis of qualitative and quantitative research methods in the context of dementia care. It begins by defining both approaches and highlighting their strengths and limitations. The essay then examines two specific research articles: one employing a qualitative approach to assess nursing assistants' awareness of person-centered care in dementia care homes, and another using a quantitative method to compare two Irish nursing home units before and after implementing household environments. The qualitative study reveals that nursing assistants possess varied understandings of person-centered care, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships and providing holistic support. The quantitative study provides numerical data, illustrating the impact of environmental changes on residents. The essay concludes by summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of each research method, emphasizing their respective contributions to understanding and improving dementia care practices. The essay underscores the value of both approaches in providing a comprehensive understanding of complex healthcare issues.

ESSAY: DEMENTIA

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................2
REFERENCES (APA).....................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Qualitative and quantitative approach of research helps the scholar in managing systematic
process of accumulation and analysing information. The essay will outline two articles where
one is based on qualitative and other one is quantitative approach of research. The article will
help in outlining contribution of approaches in two different studies. The qualitive study used is
based on awareness of nursing assistant in dementia care home over person centred approaches,
whereas quantitative study is focused on 2 Irish nursing home units with service users suffering
from Dementia.
MAIN BODY
Approach of research helps the scholar in deriving systematic procedure of making
assumption, hypothesis, data collection, analysis and interpretation. Qualitative approach of
research aims at developing critical understanding over research aspects and outcomes. It is in
form of interpretation on the basis of grounded observations, experiences, case studies, etc. data
collection of qualitative approach of research is proceeded via interviews, observations, etc.
(Qualitative Approaches, 2018). However, quantitative method of research is based on variables
like relationship between variable which is analysed by statistical evaluation. Quantitative
approach supports comparison and contrast of two attributes of study which enables critical
finding of research outcomes.
Morgan-Brown, Newton and Ormerod, 2013, performed qualitative study on awareness of
nursing assistant about patient centred approaches when proving case services to patient
suffering from dementia. In this study researcher performed qualitative content analysis of
interview transcripts. The approach in study helped in focusing on context and subject where
subject was quality of care for patient suffering from dementia and context was LTC homes.
Further the 54approached assisted in formulating five framework on the basis of humanistic
dementia which supported systemic analysis of outcomes. However, Hunter, Hadjistavropoulos
and Kaasalainen, 2016, performed quantitative comparison of two Irish Nursing homes units
which provides care services to people suffering from dementia. The quantitative comparison in
article was done before and after implementing household environments with the help of
snapshot observation method in seven dissimilar weekdays. This quantitative study was based on
two aim that is to learn impact of change on residents of HMU which was related to interactive
occupation and social engagement. However, second aim of quantitative study was development
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protocol of research which will help in outlining quantitative measure for environment of whole
room.
From the qualitative study of nursing assistants’ comparative qualitative outcomes have
been generated by researcher. The study outlined one finding that is assistant in care home
acquire significant knowledge of patient centred care approaches by their ways of managing
personalised care is different. It can be said that qualitative study contributed in research
outcome by outlining five general strategies of managing quality care for patients suffering from
Dementia. From the qualitative study it has been outlined that building strong relationship, being
flexible, accommodation service user with preferences, holistic understating and producing
psychological support are the key aspects of person-centred care. The qualitative outcome helped
in outlining one outcome on the basis of different perspective and comparison and discussion.
On the other hand, as per results of quantitative study numerical figures are gained from
Pearson’s correlation coefficient function of the SPSS. On the basis of which results were drawn
and outcomes were analysed like combined mean of time in room category raised from 457.3 to
586.4. Further, as per standard deviation it is outlined that there is less fluctuation in attendance
of TMU room in comparison to HMU. Further, quantitative study was systematic and was based
on specific categories of observation of two setups. The categories for comparison was same
which helped in simplified comparison and deriving significant values for results.
In accordance with overall discussion, it can be said that the major advantage of quantitative
research method is that it allows scholar to measure date using statistic which supports
systematic analysis or interpretation. However, the major limitation of numerical method is study
of sample of population to reach accurate results (Nijboer and der Cingel Van, 2018). The
benefit qualitative research approach is its cost effectiveness and high level of reliability whereas
limitation is general characteristics of results.
CONCLUSION
The essay summarized about quantitative and qualitative method of research which enables
critical thinking for the aim of study. The discussion of essay helped in deriving different aspects
of two approaches with the help of two specific articles. The qualitative study was based on
assessing awareness of nursing assistant over person centred approaches to be implemented
when managing care for patient suffering from Dementia. In accordance with qualitative
approach it is derived that NA’s are aware about approaches but have different perceptive of
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managing care. On the other hand, essay outline quantitative study of two Irish home units for
patients of Dementia. From numerical approach is conducted on the basis of specific observation
categories.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Morgan-Brown, M., Newton, R., & Ormerod, M. (2013). Engaging life in two Irish nursing
home units for people with dementia: Quantitative comparisons before and after
implementing household environments. Aging & mental health. 17(1). 57-65.
Hunter, P. V., Hadjistavropoulos, T., & Kaasalainen, S. (2016). A qualitative study of nursing
assistants' awareness of person-centred approaches to dementia care. Ageing & Society.
36(6). 1211-1237.
Nijboer, A. A., & der Cingel Van, M. C. J. M. (2018). Compassion: Use it or lose it?: A study
into the perceptions of novice nurses on compassion: A qualitative approach. Nurse
education today. 72, 84-89.
Online
Qualitative Approaches. (2018). [Online]. Available through: <
https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/developmentresources/research_ready/qualitative/
approaches>.
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