Recruitment and consent process
call/email, memory loss, dementia
The aged care residents and their family members were informed about the study by the aged-care staff via verbal communication and newsletter. Potential participants meeting the inclusion criteria were identified by aged-care staff. Those who were diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia or who experienced symptoms (such as memory loss) consistent with a diagnosis of dementia (with a sMMSE score of ˃10) were given information about the study and were screened for eligibility. Details of eligible and interested participants were then provided to the research staff, who followed up with a phone call/email (to the family member/nominated representative) or visited the aged-care facility to further ascertain the resident’s interest in participating, and their capacity to consent. During that visit, the researchers provided the resident with written information. If it was deemed that the participant had the capacity to consent and agreed to participate, baseline testing took place or an appointment was made for the baseline testing. If it was determined that the resident didn’t have capacity to consent but could participate in some or all parts of the project, the research team contacted the nominated representative of the resident to sign an informed consent form along with assent from the resident.Research staff were trained by a registered neuropsychologist (AG) to determine participant’s capacity to consent. The following indications were considered for capacity to consent: the person understood the information about the project, retained the information to the extent necessary to decide to participate, was able to use or weigh the information about the project in the process of deciding to participate, and could communicate the decision in some way.