Over 980,000 people in the UK live with dementia, and many of them struggle to eat enough healthy food as their condition gets worse. This new study is testing a plan to help home care workers and family members spot when someone with dementia isn’t eating well and support them better. Researchers will work with 32 people with dementia and their caregivers across England for 4 months. Home care workers will get special training and resources to help families understand nutrition and prevent weight loss. The study will check if this plan actually works and if people are willing to use it before testing it more widely.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a nutrition training program for home care workers can help people with dementia eat better and stay healthier at home
  • Who participated: 32 people living with dementia, their family caregivers, and home care workers across three regions of England
  • Key finding: This is a feasibility study, meaning researchers are checking if the program can actually be done and if people will use it, rather than proving it works. They’ll measure how many people sign up, how many stay in the study, and whether home care workers follow the training plan.
  • What it means for you: If you or a loved one has dementia and uses home care services, this research may eventually lead to better support for eating well at home. However, this is an early-stage study, so results won’t be available for some time.

The Research Details

This is a feasibility study, which is like a test run before doing a bigger experiment. Researchers aren’t trying to prove the program works yet—they’re checking if it’s possible to do it and if people will actually use it. The study will follow 32 pairs of people with dementia and their family caregivers for 4 months. Home care workers will receive training on nutrition and get educational materials to share with families. Researchers will collect information at the start and end of the 4 months to see what happened.

The study uses both numbers (like how many people dropped out) and conversations with participants (interviews) to understand what worked and what didn’t. This mixed approach helps researchers see both the big picture and hear directly from people about their experiences.

The program focuses on person-centered care, which means it’s designed around what each person with dementia actually needs and wants, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Malnutrition is a huge problem for people with dementia—up to 60% are at risk of not eating enough, and 45% experience serious weight loss. Home care workers spend a lot of time with people with dementia in their homes, so they’re in a perfect position to help. However, we don’t know much about how to train them to spot nutrition problems or help families prevent malnutrition. This study is important because it tests whether training home care workers actually helps and whether families will use the resources they’re given.

This is an early-stage study designed to test whether something is possible, not to prove it works. The sample size is small (32 people), which is normal for feasibility studies but means results won’t apply to everyone. The study will use real conversations with participants to understand their experiences, which is valuable. However, because there’s no comparison group (like people who don’t get the training), we can’t say for sure that any improvements are because of the program. This study is meant to prepare for a larger, more rigorous test in the future.

What the Results Show

This is a study protocol paper, meaning it describes the plan for the research rather than actual results. The study hasn’t been completed yet, so we don’t have findings to report. The researchers will measure success by looking at whether they can recruit 32 people, how many people stay in the study the whole time, and whether at least 75% of home care workers follow the training plan by setting at least four actions based on what they learned.

The study will also look at whether people think the program is acceptable and helpful through interviews. Researchers want to understand what barriers (problems) and facilitators (helpful things) come up when trying to deliver this nutrition support in people’s homes.

Once the study is complete, researchers will use these findings to decide whether to move forward with a larger, more rigorous test of the program.

Beyond the main measures, researchers will also look at things like whether people with dementia’s weight changes, whether their eating and drinking improve, and whether families feel more confident about nutrition. They’ll also explore whether the program works differently for different groups of people or in different situations.

This study builds on existing knowledge that malnutrition is common in dementia and that home care workers are important but under-trained in nutrition support. Previous research has shown that training can help healthcare workers spot nutrition problems, but we don’t know if this works specifically for home care workers supporting people with dementia. This study fills that gap by testing a nutrition program designed specifically for this situation.

This is a small, early-stage study with only 32 people, so results may not apply to everyone with dementia. There’s no comparison group, so we can’t say for certain that any improvements are because of the program rather than other factors. The study only lasts 4 months, so we don’t know if benefits last longer. The study is only in England, so results might be different in other countries. Finally, because this is testing whether something is possible rather than proving it works, we need a bigger study to know if the program actually helps people with dementia eat better.

The Bottom Line

This research is too early to make specific recommendations. However, if you’re a family caregiver or home care worker supporting someone with dementia, it’s worth asking your home care organization if they offer nutrition training. Watch for signs of poor eating like weight loss, skipped meals, or difficulty swallowing, and talk to a doctor if you notice these changes. (Confidence level: Low—this is preliminary research)

This research matters most to: people living with dementia, family caregivers, home care workers and managers, and healthcare professionals who work with older adults. It’s less relevant to people without dementia or those in residential care facilities rather than at home.

This study won’t be complete for several months. Even after it’s done, it will take time to develop a larger study and test whether the program actually works. Realistic timeline: 1-2 years before we know if this approach is effective.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly food and drink intake using a simple checklist: Did the person eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Did they have snacks? Did they drink enough water? Note any changes in appetite or weight.
  • Set a reminder to check in with the person with dementia at mealtimes. Use the app to log what they ate and drank, and share this information with their doctor or home care team if there are concerns.
  • Create a monthly nutrition report in the app showing eating patterns, weight trends, and any concerning changes. Share this with healthcare providers to catch nutrition problems early.

This is a study protocol describing a planned research project, not completed research with proven results. The findings described are preliminary and based on a small sample size without a comparison group. This information should not replace professional medical advice. If you or a loved one has dementia and concerns about nutrition, please consult with a doctor, registered dietitian, or healthcare provider. Always discuss any changes to diet or care with your healthcare team before implementing them.