Partnering with people with dementia and their care partners, aged care service experts, policymakers and academics: A co-design process

Abstract

Objective: To describe the co-design process in a project that "evaluated how the key worker role can best support people living with dementia in the community setting."

Methods: People with dementia, care-partners, aged-care service experts, policymakers and academics utilised a co-design process to undertake a systematic literature review and a qualitative evaluation study.

Results: The development of a successful co-design process that includes people living with dementia and their care-partners ("consumers") at all stages of the research process and addresses their individual needs.

Conclusions: The co-design approach utilised in this project provided support, for consumers living in the community to be fully involved in the research design, conduct and plans for dissemination and implementation of the findings. Consequently, the research outcomes are based on solid evidence and consumer need. Additionally, a successful model for supporting consumers to facilitate their involvement in all aspects of the research process, was developed.

Keywords: co-design; consumers; dementia; qualitative research; support worker.