The Cognitive Daisy (COG-D) for improving care for residents with dementia in care homes: protocol of a feasibility RCT

BACKGROUND: Cognitive problems associated with dementia affect a large proportion of older adults living in residential care. Knowledge of cognitive impairments is important for providing person-centred care (PCC). The impact of specific cognitive impairments on residents' needs is often overlooked in dementia training and information about residents' individual cognitive profiles are frequently underspecified in care-plans, potentially undermining the delivery of PCC. This can lead to reduced resident quality of life and increased distressed behaviours-a major cause of staff stress and burnout. The COG-D package was developed to fill this gap. Daisies provide a visual representation of a resident's individual cognitive strengths and weaknesses in a colourful flower (Daisy) representing five cognitive domains. By viewing a resident's Daisy, care-staff can flexibly adjust in-the-moment care-decisions and can consult Daisies in care-plans for longer-term planning. The primary aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of implementing the COG-D package in residential care homes for older adults.

METHODS/DESIGN: This 24-month feasibility cluster randomized controlled trial involves a 6-month intervention of the use of Cognitive Daisies in 8-10 residential care homes for older adults after training of care staff on the use of Cognitive Daisies in daily care (basic training) and on conducting the COG-D assessments with residents (advanced training). The key feasibility outcomes include % residents recruited, % COG-D assessments completed, and % staff completing the training. Candidate outcome measures for residents and staff will be obtained at baseline, and at 6 and 9 months post-randomization. COG-D assessments of residents will be repeated 6 months after the first assessment. A process evaluation will assess intervention implementation and barriers and facilitators to this through care-plan audits, interviews and focus groups with staff, residents, and relatives. Feasibility outcomes will be analysed against progression criteria to a full trial.

DISCUSSION: The results of this study will provide important information about the feasibility of using COG-D in care homes and will inform the design of a future large-scale cluster RCT to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the COG-D intervention in care homes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered on 28/09/2022 (ISRCTN15208844) and is currently open to recruitment.