Exploring Dementia Diagnosis through River of Life Storytelling
Tracks
Ballroom 2
Dementia
| Thursday, November 14, 2024 |
| 2:45 PM - 3:00 PM |
Speaker
Dr Sarah Carmody
Centre Manager, Centre of Research Excellence in Enhanced Dementia Diagnosis (CREEDD)
Health and Social Care Unit, Monash University
Exploring Dementia Diagnosis through River of Life Storytelling
Abstract
The help-seeking journey to dementia diagnosis encompasses many health professionals, appointments and tests, added to the complexity of daily life. Each person diagnosed with dementia typically spends months to years, from recognition of symptoms to specialist diagnosis. River of Life storytelling was a novel research technique used by the Centre of Research Excellence in Enhanced Dementia Diagnosis (CREEDD) exploring the experiences of people who have navigated the dementia diagnosis process in Australia. This presentation will share the study’s river of life storytelling methodology and results incorporating digital river of life diagrams.
River of life storytelling is a qualitative technique inviting a person to consider how they might represent a particular experience or journey as if it were a river. It seeks to meaningfully engage participants, facilitate deep reflection and provide a supportive process to recall experiences. This study conducted 33 online semi-structured interviews and explored diagnosis journeys using a river of life activity with patients and significant others (spouse/ partner, adult-child, friend).
The river of life methodology and diagrams facilitated a powerful visual and interactive process, enabling reflection on complex and often challenging times throughout diagnosis, illustrated by participant descriptions of turbulence, murky waters and whirlpools. These findings have informed the study’s implementation model of care, and provide comprehensive insight to the interpersonal, contextual and systemic factors shaping help seeking and dementia diagnosis.
Carmody, S, (2023). Chapter 18: River of life Storytelling. In Qualitative Research – a
practical guide for health and social care researchers and practitioners. Australia,
Monash University.
River of life storytelling is a qualitative technique inviting a person to consider how they might represent a particular experience or journey as if it were a river. It seeks to meaningfully engage participants, facilitate deep reflection and provide a supportive process to recall experiences. This study conducted 33 online semi-structured interviews and explored diagnosis journeys using a river of life activity with patients and significant others (spouse/ partner, adult-child, friend).
The river of life methodology and diagrams facilitated a powerful visual and interactive process, enabling reflection on complex and often challenging times throughout diagnosis, illustrated by participant descriptions of turbulence, murky waters and whirlpools. These findings have informed the study’s implementation model of care, and provide comprehensive insight to the interpersonal, contextual and systemic factors shaping help seeking and dementia diagnosis.
Carmody, S, (2023). Chapter 18: River of life Storytelling. In Qualitative Research – a
practical guide for health and social care researchers and practitioners. Australia,
Monash University.
Biography
Dr Sarah Carmody is the Centre Manager for the Centre of Research Excellence in Enhanced Dementia Diagnosis (CREEDD). Sarah is a Research Fellow with the Health and Social Care Unit at Monash University. She has a PhD in health program sustainability at Monash University, and a Master of Public Health from Deakin University.
Sarah is experienced in designing, implementing and evaluating health programs, and has worked across research, healthcare, public health and community settings. She specialises in applying the social determinants of health, implementation science and community involvement principles to priority health challenges. Sarah’s expertise includes stakeholder engagement, partnership development and collaboration, which are central to her Centre Manager role.
Her health program expertise includes qualitative research and program evaluation, with extensive qualitative interviewing and thematic analysis. Sarah has also taught at Monash for many years including facilitating short courses, and held capacity building roles in community health organisations.
Session Chair
Joanna Sun
Lecturer
University of Tasmania
