Information for Care Homes

Participating in research is beneficial to care home staff and residents because:

involvement provides stimulation as residents take part in new activities or have someone new to talk to as part of a study
it gives back control to residents and their families, allowing them to feel like they are contributing to the future
it encourages residents to take an increased interest in their own health and wellbeing
it leads to professional development opportunities for staff
it encourages researchers and funders to address issues that are of interest to care home residents, such as symptom management, activities, or end-of-life care
it improves contact between care homes and other local health and social care services
research provides an effective voice for residents, families and staff

Involvement in research can be planned around the needs and interests of residents and available time.

Register Your Interest in Care Home Research

Care home managers and staff can register their facilities interest in joining ENRICH Scotland online.

If you would prefer a physical form, contact tay.enrichscotland@nhs.scot.

Once complete, a member of the ENRICH Scotland team will contact you confirming receipt of details and to provide a certificate of participation, confirming your facility is ‘research ready’.

ENRICH Scotland will contact you with opportunities as they arise. You will be under no obligation but we ask that you consider the benefits to residents, families and staff of taking part.

Getting Involved in Research if you Live or Work in a Care Home

There are lots of different way to get involved in research if you live or work in a care home. Examples include:

promoting research to residents, families, and staff by handing out leaflets, displaying posters or hosting awareness sessions
reviewing support requests for research studies, and consider how your care home staff, residents, and their families could contribute
taking part in a study that could involve filling in a questionnaire, taking part in a discussion group or trying out different treatments

The Care Home Data Innovation Foundation Challenge is an example of one type of involvement, which invites companies to assess if currently collected data on residents by care homes, can – alone or when combined with health and social care records – provide a holistic digital picture of a resident’s health, wellbeing and care needs.

Research in Scotland