Multi-stakeholder aged care research networks: A scoping review.

Abstract

Background and objectives: An ageing population worldwide has highlighted the need for improved care in long term aged care homes. In Australia, such homes are called Residential Aged Care homes, and reform is underway to improve the quality and safety of aged care. A key enabler of quality improvement is increasing evidence-based practice through creating a system to support research translation. Collaborative multi-stakeholder research networks offer a potential solution by bringing together stakeholders to identify evidence-to-practice gaps, co-design research and translate knowledge into practice. The aim of this scoping review was to understand the current evidence on the creation and maintenance of multi-stakeholder aged care research networks internationally, reported facilitators and barriers, and outcomes.

Research design and methods: An academic literature search in five databases to identify existing multi-stakeholder aged care research networks. A grey literature search was conducted using Google, Google Scholar, grey literature databases and a manual search of targeted websites.

Results: 10 papers and 19 web-based resources were identified, reporting on six multi-stakeholder research networks internationally. Enabling factors of successful networks included flexibility in structure, good governance, leveraging pre-existing research relationships, consistent and open communication, staff with dual roles in research and practice, and a focus on building long term partnerships independent of research projects.

Discussion and implications: Collaborative multi-stakeholder research networks offer promise for improving research translation in aged care. Advancing the development of impactful multi-stakeholder aged care research networks requires internationally agreed terminology for network models, clear reporting and evaluation guidelines and dedicated infrastructure resources.