Social networks of people with dementia in care homes

Summary

Care homes aim to create a “home from home” environment yet provide a different experience to living in the community. Understanding what creates and sustains social networks for people living with dementia within communal settings has the potential to improve residents’ quality of life.

Project Aims

The study investigated how people living with dementia are enabled to maintain, create and sustain new social networks at points of transition and over time as a resident in the care home.

A mixed methods systematic review on evidence on social networks and people living with dementia living in care home settings. Databases searched were: CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Prospero number: CRD42019135574 

What we found and what this means

Twenty-three studies were included. Study design varied and there was no agreed definition of a social network. Eight studies collected self-report data from people living with dementia and four studies conducted a social network analysis of residents’ relationships. Evidence, regardless of country, described similar enablers and barriers for people living with dementia to have meaningful social connections. Only two studies described dementia sensitive interventions to create and strengthen networks. None considered how the needs of people at different stages of living with dementia changed over time and how to sustain meaningful connections.

A literature of twenty years details the importance of social networks of people with dementia living in care homes. There is limited evidence however, of how this has altered practice or developed theory. Evidence is lacking on how to measure their impact, what sustains pre-diagnosis/pre-admission networks and how to create and maintains new dementia sensitive post admission networks over time.

Who was involved?

Claire Goodman, University of Hertfordshire

Elspeth Mathie, University of Hertfordshire

Nicole Jones, NIHR ARC East of England

Contact us

Nicole Jones, NIHR ARC East of England, Nicole.Jones@cpft.nhs.uk