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PrOVIDe Research into Visual Impairment in People with Dementia

We are delighted to announce that Providence Court, Trefoil House and Belmont View are taking part in a research project with Dr Beverley Hancock of the College of Optometrists. Research study Study title: The Prevalence of Visual Impairment in People with Dementia (The PrOVIDe Study) Reason for the study The risks of developing both dementia and visual impairment (VI) increase with age, so a large population of people in the UK affected by dementia may also have VI. Data on VI and dementia is limited and inconclusive; much of the research is 10-30 years old and few studies have been conducted in the UK. “Free” eye tests, funded by the NHS, are available to everyone over the age of 60 but not everyone takes advantage of this and uptake among people with dementia is thought to be considerably less than in the general population. It is estimated that between 20% and 50% of older people have undetected reduced vision. More information is needed on VI prevalence in people with dementia, particularly the extent to which problems may be undetected or inadequately managed and the reasons why. This is particularly significant because VI can contribute to other problems: older people with VI are almost twice as likely to have a fall and behavioural and psychological problems in people with dementia can also be exacerbated by poor vision. Loss of vision profoundly affects quality of life and increases the relative risk of admission to care homes. Aims of the Study The PrOVIDe study is about visual impairment in people with dementia. Quite simply they are conducting eye examinations with people with dementia aged 60-89 to explore: - the prevalence of a range of conditions that can lead to sight loss - the proportion of previously undetected or inappropriately managed cases - any limitations or barriers to performing eye examinations on people with dementia (people sometimes think that someone with dementia can't perform the tests or respond to the optician’s questions) To measure the commonness of vision problems, they will carry out an eye test on people with dementia. The test is the “normal” eye test that would be carried out in any high street opticians or by any optician providing a service at home. Research staff will work with our homes to identify potential participants who meet the inclusion criteria. They will provide information sheets for participants and their families/representatives which explain what the study is about. They ensure that written informed consent is obtained before a participant is entered into the study. The participant’s contact details are forwarded to the study team based at the College of Optometrists. The team will identify a local optician who will contact the care home to make an appointment for the participant to have an eye test. The optometrists assisting with this study are all experienced in working with people with dementia. We are really pleased to be involved in this research, and work has already been carried out in the three homes, with a view to extending it to other homes. When the study is complete, we will publish a copy of the report.