Webinar recording for 5 May 2021 Webinar: Health of older people living in care homes: What can we learn from big data linkage projects?
This webinar covered improving the Health of older people living in care homes: What can we learn from big data linkage projects?
Presented by Dr Stephanie Harrison, Tenure Track Fellow, University of Liverpool
Health of older people living in care homes: what can we learn from big data linkage projects?
Presented by Dr Stephanie Harrison, Tenure Track Fellow, Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool
Abstract: It is known that older care home residents have complex health and care needs, but there is a lack of evidence detailing these needs in the UK. The current COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted older care home residents and has drawn attention to a sector in need of better recognition, funding and resources. Older people living in care homes are often excluded from research, and there are many challenges to consider when conducting research in care homes. The use of linked routinely collected data could increase this representativeness, particularly for optimising care pathways to improve health and social outcomes for these individuals. In this webinar, we will discuss the benefits and limitations of using routinely collected data sources to answer research questions about older people living in care homes. A national data linkage project in Australia will be described which was specifically established to improve health outcomes for older people using aged care services. A series of studies utilising this data linkage project will be detailed, such as research which examined the dispensing of psychotropic medicines to older people living in care homes, and a study of outcomes of older people using respite services. Established and emerging data linkage projects to study older people living in care homes in the UK will also be described.
Biography: Dr Stephanie Harrison starting working at the Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool in August 2019. Her research interests include risk reduction and ways to improve health and quality of life for older people living with cardiovascular disease, dementia and/or living in care homes. Before starting her current role, Dr Harrison worked in South Australia at Flinders University for the National Health and Medical Research Council Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre (CDPC). At Flinders University, she primarily focused on the INvestigating Services Provided In the Residential care Environment for Dementia (INSPIRED) Study which aimed to examine different models of residential care for people with dementia in relation to outcomes such as quality of life. She then began working at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in Adelaide where she was involved in the development and epidemiological analysis of the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA). ROSA is a 'big data' data linkage project which aims to improve the health and health services of older people accessing aged care. Her research has been cited in policy documents including guidance for the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and recommendations from the Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. She also contributed to the Alzheimer’s Disease International 2020 World Alzheimer Report: Design Dignity, Dementia. Her current role at the University of Liverpool draws on her previous experiences of conducting epidemiological analyses of large data studies to improve health outcomes of the older population, including for older people living in care homes.
