Making research work for care homes

Dr Natalie Richardson, Research Fellow, University of Nottingham and colleagues share insights from their Living Labs for Care project, supporting research with care homes.

Research can sometimes feel like something that happens to care homes rather than with them. It can sound overly academic and feel time-consuming. It can also feel disconnected from the pressures and realities of care homes. But when done collaboratively, research can become something much more practical and meaningful: it can be a way to solve real problems, improve residents’ quality of life, and give care providers a stronger voice.

That’s what we’ve been trying to do through the Living Labs for Care (LiLaC) project at the University of Nottingham, funded by the National Institute for Health Research. Since 2024, we’ve worked alongside care homes in the East Midlands to embed research into everyday practice and become part of how homes reflect and improve.

Myself and the rest of the academic LiLaC team have worked alongside several care homes across the East Midlands to bridge the gap between research and practice using a ‘living lab’ approach.

What is the ‘Living Lab’ approach?

First developed in the Netherlands, the living lab approach is built on a simple principle: research should happen in partnership with the people who live and work in care homes. Instead of researchers arriving with ready-made questions, topics are developed together. Academic and care home “linking pins” work side by side to design and deliver projects that matter. Staff become co-researchers, shaping priorities, leading conversations and championing ideas within their care homes. This shifts research from being something external to something owned and led by the home. In January 2025, the LiLaC research team and ‘linking pins’ visited living labs across the Netherlands to learn more about the approach and feel inspired.

Starting with what matters

One of the biggest lessons from LiLaC is that research works best when it begins with real questions and experiences directly from practice. In one Nottinghamshire home, we wanted to better understand the emotional impact of providing end-of-life care, particularly for the staff who have migrated from overseas. We ran focus groups where colleagues reflected on building close relationships with residents and the impacts of supporting families through loss. These conversations were powerful. They involved staff who provide direct care, as well as kitchen, administrative and maintenance staff. Management gained insight into the emotional labour involved in care, not only by carers and nurses but the whole range of staff working in the home. The project created space for staff reflection and it was led by one of their colleagues. That is what collaborative research can look like.

Staff were also supported to learn more about the research process, developing skills and knowledge in how to do research themselves. Our “linking pins” were supported to take part in research methods training, received ongoing informal guidance from the LiLaC researchers, and built confidence in leading projects themselves. One home successfully applied for a small grant from the Queen's Institute of Community Nursing to further develop a project on improving garden activity. Staff attended networking events, presented at conferences and became part of wider research conversations in the sector. This is what capacity-building can look like in practice.

Making research accessible, fun and inclusive

In one of our workshops at a Leicester care home, staff initially described research as feeling “stuffy” or “scary”. So, we thought it was important to experiment with creative approaches to make it feel more engaging and accessible. residents and staff explored the meaning of research through cooking and preparing a traditional Indian dish ‘pani puri’. What began as uncertainty about research ended in practical conversations about everyday challenges, from “noisy neighbours” to the importance of residents getting involved in daily tasks such as cooking. Research became something grounded in daily life and efforts to make the care home feel ‘homely’.

In another workshop, staff designed birds inspired by the home’s logo, reflecting their own cultural backgrounds and identities. The activity sparked conversations about diversity, teamwork and shared values. In a workforce where many colleagues speak English as a second language, creative approaches made participation feel easier and more inclusive.

We also ran workshops with a mixture of both residents and staff that focused on increasing resident garden use, exploring barriers to getting them outdoors. They began identifying realistic solutions together, whilst involved in activity such as potting plants and painting. Creativity opened doors and it made research feel meaningful for both residents and staff.

Why this matters

Care homes face workforce challenges, increasing complexity of need, and regulatory demands. When research is collaborative and rooted in everyday practice, it can:

• Support staff wellbeing
• Improve residents’ experiences
• Strengthen team cohesion
• Provide evidence for improvement
• Amplify care providers’ voices

Experts by experience: getting involved in research

You don’t need a large grant or formal study to begin, care homes hoping to get involved in research should identify one question arising from their daily practice. Time should be created and protected for team reflection and discussion. Connections can also be made with local universities and research networks to support and guide research activity. LiLaC and the living lab approach shows the significance of nominating a small number of staff to ‘champion’ research activity and ideas.

Care staff are already experts by experience. Research can simply give structure to the problem-solving and reflection that already happens in care homes every day. When collaboration and creativity are prioritised, research can feel relevant, inclusive and worthwhile. And when it grows from the realities of care homes themselves, it has the potential to improve life for both residents and staff.

Print this page