Are you a carer of a person diagnosed with dementia, living in the West Midlands?

[Jess100]

Are you are the main carer of a person living with dementia?
Do you live in the West Midlands or Staffordshire areas?

I am a Master’s student at Newman University, Birmingham and I am conducting a research project on how dementia carers foster and maintain hope.

This is an under-researched area in dementia, and could in the future potentially help clinicians gain a better understanding of the different resources carers use to maintain their own wellbeing, in order to develop appropriate support and interventions.

I am looking to interview carers of family members who are living with dementia (who have received their diagnosis at least 3 months ago). I am hoping to gain a better understanding of people’s personal experiences of how they view hope and what maintains/reduces their hope whilst caring for their relative living with dementia. Interviews will last approximately 45- 90 minutes.

The interview can take place at your home and at a time that is convenient for you. Although I can only complete interviews at home in Staffordshire and the West Midlands, if you wished to participate but live further afield I would be happy to complete interviews via Skype.

If you are interested in taking part and/or would like further information please send me a private message (PM) on Talking Point, or email POOL301@newman.ac.uk

Thank you for taking time to read this post.

Jessica.

 

[Kevinl]

Hi Jess, welcome to TP
I'm a little out of your area (Manchester) but I'm sure that they'll be a few on here ready to help.
The real problem I can see is that we all cope so very differently. To be specific: when my wife and I had my mother with AZ living with us some years ago it was a totally different proposition to my current situation where after my mother died I find myself living with my wife now diagnosed with AZ. How we dealt with it then and how I deal with it now are 2 different things. People with the support of family and friends deal differently to those going it alone and of course having money helps.
None of us are the same and I suspect you'd get such a myriad of answers based on all the variables you'd have to interview thousands of people to produce anything meaningful.
But "every little helps" and so I wish you the very best of luck, you don't have to read very much on here to see the levels of stress carers are under and anything that could help would be more than welcome.
K

 

[jenniferpa]

I can confirm that Jess has permission to post about her project.

 

[kingybell]

My mil was diagnosed with mixed dementia before Christmas. She's 57 now and we live in Cannock. You can contact me if you want.

 

[Jess100]

Thank you for your replies.

Just thought I would emphasise that individuals living outside of the West Midlands/ Staffordshire areas are also welcome to participate in the study, as these interviews could be facilitated via Skype.

For further information please email me at the email address provided in my initial post, or send me a private message (PM) at Talking Point.

Thanks,
Jessica.

 

[VickyG]

Hi Jess100,

I would of loved to have participated, but I lost my Mum to Mixed Dementia last August. If I can still be of any help in any way, I will gladly contribute.

Vicky