Research
Research
Clinical Research
It is important to investigate the way older people respond to new drugs. Many older people are already taking medication for a variety of conditions and it is vital to be aware of any possible interaction.
The Institute looks into all aspects of ageing including how we might use drug treatments more safely in older people. In particular the way in which people respond to treatments when they get older and have memory impairment or dementia. It has facilities for clinical studies, based at The Royal United Hospital, in Bath. The unit is fully equipped for pharmacokinetic studies and has an experienced team of medical, nursing and research staff.
Additional expertise facilities are available to the Institute through its affiliation with the School for Health at the University of Bath.
Psychology at RICE
Neuropsychological research at RICE focuses on cognitive changes such as changes in attention, memory or language associated with the normal ageing process and the age-related disease of dementia. The research aims to gain a better understanding of such changes and develop ways to help people with cognitive impairment.The programme of research is co-ordinated by Dr Krist Noonan.
The Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of life in Dementia (BASQID)
The BASQID ia a 14 item measure of dementia-sensitive quality of life (QoL) that has been developed and validated for use with mild to moderate dementia (identified by a Mini Mental State Exam score of 12 or above). The measure was developed through a three-year project funded by the Alzheimer's Society, UK.
Using self-report QoL information, the BASQID provides valuable information about the experience of dementia from the perspective of the person with the condition. The measure provides two scale scores relating to life satisfaction and feelings of positive QoL. The measure does not place an undue emphasis on symptoms and disability but allows respondents to incorporate the influence of adaption, coping and support in their responses. In this way, the BASQID acknowledges the indirect relationship between health and QoL, in that worsening health does not inevitably lead to a reduction in QoL.
The BASQID should be interview administered directly with the person with dementia. Questions and response scales should be presented visually and orally to the person. Each question should be printed on an individual card (approximately 18 x 6cm) in large sans serif font. The three response scales should also be printed on individual cards (approximately 30 x 10cm). Files containing copies of the administrator's score sheet, printable version of the question and response cards and an operating manual can be obtained from the author on request, or download from this website. The operating manual contains detailed instructions to administrators and data regarding the psychometric properties of the measure.
If you require any further information regarding the BASQID, please contact the first author, Dr Richard Trigg. If you would like to download copies of the BASQID and operating manual, please proceed to the User Agreement form by clicking on the link below.