Our Research
The VOICE study resources on this website are based on many years of research aimed at improving communication between healthcare staff and people living with dementia.
Our Research Journey
Where it all started
The VOICE study team identified that when people living with dementia were admitted to hospital, their communication with hospital staff could be challenging for both parties. We gained funding from the National Institute of Health Research to explore this further, with the aim of improving the communication experience of these people.
‘VOICE’ stands for ‘VideOing to Improve Communication Education’ because video recordings are central to our research and training. We use a research method called conversation analysis to identify what communication practices help most [link to FAQs to learn more about conversation analysis]. Then we get a group of experts together to help us work out how best to train clinicians to use these practices.
The VOICE Study
The first VOICE study aimed to identify what staff communication practices helped hospital healthcare interactions with people with dementia go smoothly. These findings were then developed into a two-day, face-to-face, interdisciplinary training programme, which included specially trained simulators. This training was delivered initially across two hospitals and evaluated.
The VOICE 2 Study
Our second study (VOICE 2) focused specifically on identifying how healthcare staff communicate in ways which avoid or reduce distressed behaviour for inpatients living with dementia. These findings were developed into the VOICE2 training programme, which was delivered as two half days face-to-face. The training was delivered by trained clinical educators to staff on specific wards at three UK hospitals. The impact of the training was evaluated.
Additional studies
Dr Lauren Bridgstock has used the data from VOICE 1 and 2 for her PhD exploring the effects of ‘elderspeak’ in healthcare interactions. We have new funding to explore what communication best supports early mobilisation for people living with dementia after hip fracture surgery (VOICE-HF). We continue to develop new study ideas and to use our existing data to gain new insights into improving healthcare communication for people living with dementia.
Publications
Original VOICE Study - peer reviewed publications
The VOICE study – A before and after study of a dementia communication skills training course Read online
When people living with dementia say ‘no’: Negotiating refusal in the acute hospital setting Read online
Should I stay or should I go? How healthcare professionals close encounters with people with dementia in the acute hospital setting Read online
Avoiding repair, maintaining face: Responding to hard-to-interpret talk from people living with dementia in the acute hospital Read online
Full Report: A staff training intervention to improve communication between people living with dementia and health-care professionals in hospital: the VOICE mixed-methods development and evaluation study Read online
The development of a communication skills training intervention for healthcare professionals caring for people with dementia in the acute hospital setting: an applied conversation analytic study Read online
Publications
Papers On developing and using simulation in the original VOICE study
Conversation Analysis Based Simulation (CABS): A method for improving communication skills training for healthcare practitioners Read online
Using conversation analysis to inform role play and simulated interaction in communications skills training for healthcare professionals: identifying avenues for further development through a scoping review Read online
Publications
VOICE2 papers
“I want to get out … I've got a child at home”: Intersubjectivity, reality disjunctures and distress in the care of people living with dementia in the acute hospital Read online
Two of the best ways to respond to people with dementia who think they are in a different time or place Read online
Pre-print: Implementation of dementia communication skills training in acute hospitals: a longitudinal, mixed-methods case study evaluation Read online
Conference posters
VOICE2
EUGMS (Sept 24-26th 2025) View online
Alzheimer’s Europe (Oct 6th-8th 2025) View online
Publications
Combining data from VOICE 1 and 2
‘Alright my lovely’: The use of terms of endearment as a mitigation device in the care of people living with dementia in the acute hospital environment Read online
Dementia care: are terms of endearment like ‘sweetheart’ comforting or condescending? Read online