Lost voices: Using a case study to illustrate narrative inquiry: Research brief.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• Family member voices are often unheard in aged care decision-making.
• Shared decision-making, a patient-centered approach, is not consistently implemented in aged care facilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility of using narrative inquiry and three-dimensional space inquiry.
• To elicit the care and advocacy experiences of a family member of a dementia patient.

Main Methods:

• A single adult family member was interviewed.
• A three-dimensional space inspired by narrative theorists was used to analyze the narrative.

Main Results:

• Communication between staff and family emerged as a key theme.
• Staffing levels in the dementia care unit were identified as significant.
• Loss of voice and challenges in shared decision-making were reported by the family member.

Conclusions:

• Narrative inquiry effectively captures personal experiences related to healthcare problems.
• This method can raise awareness of critical issues for policy and practice change in healthcare.