Research Proposal: Exploring Experiences of Dementia in Later Life

This research proposal outlines a study focused on understanding the experiences of individuals with dementia in their later life. The proposal begins by linking the research to existing literature, emphasizing the gap in research regarding the later life experiences of people with dementia. It clearly defines the aim, objectives, and research questions, which include analyzing experiences, identifying perspectives, and recommending collaborative ways to improve the lives of dementia patients. The proposal justifies the importance of the research, citing existing studies on dementia while highlighting the need for further investigation into the specific experiences of individuals in later life. The research design will employ a descriptive approach, with qualitative data analysis techniques. Data collection methods will include both primary (interviews with family members) and secondary sources (books, journals, and online resources). The sampling strategy involves non-probabilistic sampling, with a sample size of 10 family members. Ethical considerations are addressed, ensuring the protection of participant information and confidentiality. The proposal concludes with a list of relevant references, including online sources.

Dementia and later
life
1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Linking research proposal to topic...............................................................................................3
2. Aim, objectives and questions.....................................................................................................3
Aim..............................................................................................................................................3
Objectives....................................................................................................................................3
Questions.....................................................................................................................................3
3. Reasons why research is important .............................................................................................3
4. Research design ..........................................................................................................................5
Data analysis ...............................................................................................................................5
5. Methods of data collection ..........................................................................................................5
Sampling......................................................................................................................................6
6. Ethical issues ...............................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7
2

1. LINKING RESEARCH PROPOSAL TO TOPIC
The present research proposal is based on understanding the later life of people suffering
from dementia. It can be stated that the selected research is important because only few
researches have been carried out which explore later life of people with dementia. Further,
primary investigation will be done in order to gather more accurate and reliable information. On
the basis of provided topic aim, objectives and research questions has been developed by the
researcher. The proposal also includes a section which explores why the present study is
important. Other than this, the suitable methodologies used along with key ethical issues are also
mentioned in the present proposal. It can be also stated that the proposed methodologies is based
entirely on the aim, objective and nature of the present research. This will further support in
conducting the entire investigation in the best possible manner and achieve desired outcomes.
2. AIM, OBJECTIVES AND QUESTIONS
Aim
To understand the experiences of later life of people suffering from dementia
Objectives
 To analyses the experience of later life and dementia
 To identify perspective of the older person or person with dementia
 To recommend collaborative ways which can help dementia patient to live their life in the
best possible manner
Questions
 What is the experience of later life and dementia?
 Explain perspective of the older person or person with dementia?
 What are the collaborative ways which can help dementia patient to live their life in the
best possible manner?
3. REASONS WHY RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT
It can be stated that gradual loss in process of reasoning, thinking and remembering are
the key symptoms which can be observed among people suffering from dementia. Further, it
becomes very complicated for the care providers and family members to identify what is needed
to the patient. Along with the increase in population, the total number of people who die because
3

of dementia has also increased to a great extent. Many researches have been carried out by
Alzheimer's Society which explains causes, symptoms, types and treatment of dementia. Other
than this, studies such as end of life care of people with dementia in residential care setting has
been also carried out by Alzheimer organization. However, it can be argued that very fewer
researches has been done to investigate the later life of people who suffer from dementia. For
example a study carried out by Elaine J. Amella in the year 2007, explains issues associated with
feeding and eating in older adults suffering from dementia. The study was conducted with an
objective to identify the risk associate with intake of inadequate food and other liquid. Another
study which was carried out by national institute of health explores areas such as basic of
dementia, different types of dementia along with risk factors and causes associated with the
same. The results explain that family members and care takers of people suffering from dementia
are affected to a great extent.
A study carried out by Fiona E. Shaw in 2006 was based on the topic fall in older people
with dementia. The findings highlighted that people in old age are at greater risks and there are
chances of the adverse consequences. The study also explained that there are certain ways which
can be used to overcome adverse affect but till today there is no effective way developed. Ann L.
Horgas also carried out a study in the year 2012, which was based on assessing the pain in older
adults who were suffering from dementia. Furthermore, he stated that treatment of older patient
becomes very complicated because different changes in the ability of patients to communicate
with others. Studies were also conducted on topics such as screening for delirium, dementia and
depression in older people. Therefore, it can be stated that several researches has been conducted
in last few years on topics related to dementia and areas linked with the same. The researcher has
clearly found out a gap between existing study and previous researches which has been carried
out. On the basis of this gap, the scholar has opted to carry out investigation on understand the
experiences of later life of people suffering from dementia as there are very few researches
which has been carried out on the selected topic. The present study will help researcher to
identify the overall experiences of people suffering from dementia in their later life. Along with
this, it will also play important role in getting insight into perspective of older person or person
with dementia. Thus, it can be stated that the present study is very important and there are
several reasons associated with the same.
4

4. RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design can be termed as the overall strategy which has been adopted by a
scholar with an objective to attain the aim and objective of research. The concept of research
design is linked with development of systematic plan which aims at the finding out the core
problem which is associated with the investigation carried out. At the time of doing any study,
there are various types of research design which is available in front of any researcher. The
common design includes exploratory, case study, casual, case and effect, experimental,
descriptive etc. The selection of appropriate research design entirely relies on nature and
objectives of a study. For the purpose of carrying out investigation on understand the experiences
of later life of people suffering from dementia, descriptive research design will be adopted by the
scholar. The rationale behind this is that the use of selected design will support in describing
various elements associated with the investigation. Along with this, descriptive design will also
assist in describing perspective of the older person or person with dementia. Thus, it can be
expressed that descriptive research design is more suitable and appropriate as per nature of this
stuyd.
Data analysis
It is the process in which different techniques are adopted by a researcher to carry out
evaluation of data collected by using various sources. It can be also argued that application of
suitable technique for analyzing information is very important in order to make a study
successful. There are two main techniques of data analysis which can be used by any researcher
and the techniques are classified as qualitative and quantitative. Further, in qualitative technique
data is analyzed by developing various themes whereas quantitative technique includes the use of
statistical tool such as SPSS. For the present research report, the scholar will be adopting
qualitative technique of data analysis. The reason behind selecting qualitative techniques is that
the data will be available in non-numeric form and therefore the selected approach is more
suitable.
5. METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION
In order to achieve aim and objective of the present research, it is also required by scholar
to selected appropriate methods of collecting data. Further, the methods are classified into two
5

main categories which are primary and secondary. Primary methods provides fresh and more
reliable data as it is collected by the researcher himself/herself. On the other side, secondary
method provides information which has been already collected by other researches and scholar.
In order to carry out investigation on the experiences of later life of people suffering from
dementia, both primary and secondary methods of data collection will be used by the researcher.
It can be stated that interview will be carried out with an objective to gather primary information.
On the other side of this, book, journals and online sources will be used to gather secondary
information. The use of both sources of data collection will support in gathering relevant and
required information.
Sampling
Sampling can be defined as a systematic process in which appropriate sample is defined
to gain information. Sample is the group of people or individuals selected from the entire
population for gathering data. Probabilistic and non-probabilistic are the two common methods
of sampling which are generally used by researches. The present investigation will make use of
interview which is a part of non-probabilistic sampling method. Interviews will support the
researcher in finding appropriate data related to experiences of later life of people suffering from
dementia. The sample here will be family members of people suffering from dementia and the
sample size here will be 10 people. The reason why family members are selected as respondents
is that they will be able to provide more accurate information about later life of people suffering
from dementia.
6. ETHICAL ISSUES
At the time of carrying out the present research, there are various kinds of ethcial issues
which will be faced by the researcher. This includes issues related to safety and security of
information collected. It can be stated that the scholar will make sure that all issues related to
ethics are being addressed in the best possible manner. For this purpose, only reliable and
authentic sources of data collection will be used. Along with this, prior permission from family
members of patient will be taken before approaching them for collecting data. The researcher
will also make sure that the data is not revealed to any other party and it is destroyed after
making its use. On the other hand, the identity of respondents will not be disclosed and will be
kept confidential.
6

REFERENCES
Online
Fiona E. Shaw. 2003. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.healthplexus.net/files/content/2003/August/0607dementiafall.pdf>.
[Accessed on 25th August 2016].
Nursing best practises guidelines. 2010. [Online]. Available through: <http://rnao.ca/sites/rnao-
ca/files/Screening_for_Delirium_Dementia_and_Depression_in_the_Older_Adult.pdf>.
[Accessed on 25th August 2016].
Elaine J. Amella, 2007. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.alz.org/stl/documents/eating_issues_part_2.pdf>. [Accessed on 25th
August 2016].
National Institute of Health. 2013. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dementias/the-dementias.pdf>. [Accessed on 25th
August 2016].
7