Scholarly Impact Report 2023

CATHERINE MCAULEY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY, UCC

Page | 60

THEME 1 - AGEING INTEGRATED RESEARCH

School of Nursing and Midwifery Leads Horizon Europe Project on Dementia Palliative Care in Care Homes. The Horizon Europe ‘In-Touch’ project will run over five years from 2024 to 2028 and will establish a trial in 56 care homes across seven countries focussed on dementia palliative care including pain and symptom management, staff capabilities, polypharmacy and decision-making ensuring that residents with dementia receive optimal palliative care. The intervention being explored in this trial builds on the work of the previous EU Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disease funded “mySupport” project which developed a family decision support tool, now further complemented by the addition of a personalised multi-sensory activity component, known as Namaste Care, for people with advanced dementia. Awarded €7.5 million under the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023 ‘Tackling disease and reducing disease burden’, the In-Touch project is Coordinated by Professor Nicola Cornally (School of Nursing and Midwifery) and Vice Coordinator Professor Suzanne Timmons (School of Medicine). Dr Irene Hartigan, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, is leading a core work package on education development and preparation of trainees on the palliative care intervention across Europe. In-Touch further boasts an international consortium of 13 partners from across the EU, UK, and Canada.

Team Members from SoNM:

The broader multi-disciplinary team in South South West Hospital Group (SSWHG) will support research activities:

Dr Caroline Dalton O’Connor SoNM Dr Elaine Lehane SoNM

Prof. Tony Foley Department of General Practice Dr Catherine Buckley (adjunct Senior Lecturer St Luke’s Nursing Home) Dr Carol Kelleher Cork University Business School. Dr Catherine Sweeney SoM Dr Rónán O’Caoimh Mercy University Hospital Dr Siobhan Fox Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation Dr Fiona Kiely (SSWHG – Marymount University Hospital and Hospice)

Dr Serena Fitzgerald SoNM Dr Mohamad Saab SoNM

Dr Teresa Wills SoNM Dr Rachel Flynn SoNM

https://palliativeprojects.eu/in-touch/