Zena Aldridge
NIHR
Zena Aldridge
My career in health and social care has spanned across four decades, initially in domiciliary care and as a nursing auxiliary in acute, community and social care settings, before undertaking my nurse training in 2003. I qualified as a mental health nurse at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in 2003 and have spent much of my career working in a variety of non-NHS settings. I went on to complete a master’s degree in Mental Health at the UEA in 2013. More recently I have undertaken doctoral studies at De Montfort University and completed my PhD with a thesis titled “Relationships, morality and emotion: Their impact and influence on nursing home staff decision-making when a resident with advanced dementia deteriorates”.
As a nurse who practices through a biopsychosocial lens, I have always relished the challenge of less traditional roles but have always retained a focus on improving the outcomes and experiences of care for older people, people living with dementia, their families and carers and championing the role of nurses in the care of older people. My areas of specialist interest include the care of older people, dementia care, palliative and end of life care, the role of social care in the provision of biopsychosocial care as well service integration and quality improvement. I am a published author of multiple journal articles relating to clinical practice and I have contributed to three books about dementia care.
Given my various areas of interest, skills and experience I hold a portfolio of roles including alongside my role as Social Care Fellow which include:
Regional Clinical Advisor (dementia)- NHS England and NHS Improvement,
Consultant Editor- Nursing Older People RCNi,
Honorary Visiting Researcher Newcastle University
Honorary Visiting Researcher University of Bradford
FURTHER INFORMATION
| Countries | United Kingdom; |
|---|---|
| Topics | Access to care; Attitudes and Expectations about Long-Term Care; Care inequalities; Community-based LTC; Dementia care and support; End-of-life care and LTC; Ethics and care; Evaluation of LTC systems and services; LTC Policy; LTC Systems; LTC Workforce; New models of care; Outcomes for unpaid/informal carers; Pain management in care homes; Person-centered care; Primary Health Care; Relationship between LTC use and hospital use; Research gaps and priorities in LTC; Residential LTC services; Unmet needs; Unpaid / informal care; |
| Methods | Case studies; Knowledge-exchange; Policy analysis; Qualitative studies; Surveys; |
| Role | Research; |
| Interest Groups | Care home markets and regulation; Economics of Long-Term Care; Long-Term Care Policy; Pain in Care Homes; Strengthening Responses to Dementia; |
| ORC.ID | 0000-0001-5982-8070 |
| X (Twitter) | https://twitter.com/ZenaAldridge1 |
| http://linkedin.com/in/dr-zena-aldridge-frsa-ma-rnmh-a674446a | |
| Research interests | My areas of specialist interest include the care of older people, dementia care, palliative and end of life care, the role of social care in the provision of biopsychosocial care as well service integration and quality improvement. |
| Key publications | Aldridge, Z., (in press 2024) Chapter # ‘ … father should not be allowed out alone’ – Managing the risk of getting lost or going missing, In When your patient has dementia. (eds Harrison Dening K., Hayo, H., Pepper, A.) Jessica Kingsley Press. Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (in press 2024) Improving awareness of the biopsychosocial risks in dementia care. Nursing Older People. Aldridge, Z. (2024) Why we should promote continence in people living with dementia. Nursing older people. Why we should promote continence in people living with dementia | RCNi Aldridge Z., De Vries, K., Brown, J. (2023) Using moral courage to reduce moral distress in end-of-life care decision-making for people living with advanced dementia in care homes. P36.Residential care Alzheimer Europe Helsinki October 2023 Detailed programme | Alzheimer Europe (alzheimer-europe.org). Aldridge, Z., Elsegood, L., Murray, S et al. (2023) Identifying incontinence and promoting continence in people living with dementia. Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2023.e1451 Pepper, A., Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2023). Hope: A tool for working with families affected by dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic. JSC 2.02 178 British Society of Gerontology Conference, University of East Anglia. July, 2023 Aldridge, Z., De Vries, K., Brown, J. (2023) Relationships, morality and emotion: Their impact and influence on nursing home decision-making when a resident with advanced dementia deteriorates, and the role of moral courage on reducing moral distress. Empowering Older People Moving Towards End of Life NSB0.05 British Society of Gerontology Conference, University of East Anglia. July, 2023 Aldridge, Z. (2023) Editorial: By improving dementia diagnosis rates nurse can make a difference to people lives. Nursing Older People. 35, 3, 5-5. doi: 10.7748/nop.35.3.5.s1 Pepper, A., Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2023). Hope: A tool for working with families affected by dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic. BJPsych Advances, 1-8. doi:10.1192/bja.2023.38 Aldridge, Z., Ponnusamy, K., Noble, A., Collier, P., Smith, D. (2023) Dementia in Care Homes: increasing the diagnosis rate among undiagnosed residents. Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2023.e1435 Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2023) Dementia 6: Improving understanding of distressed behaviours in people living with dementia. Nursing Times [online]; 119: 8. McGrath, A., Aldridge, Z. (2023) Improving pressure area risk assessment and management for people living with advanced dementia. Journal of Community Nursing. Aldridge, Z., NIHR ARC East Midlands. (2023) Decision-making in end-of-life care for people living with advanced dementia. An evidence-based discussion tool has been developed to support end-of-life shared decision-making, to enable a good death for residents and reduce incidences of moral distress for care staff. Available at: https://arc-em.nihr.ac.uk/clahrcs-store/decision-making-end-life-care-peopleliving-advanced-dementia Aldridge, Z. (2023) Editorial: No quick fix to meeting the needs of our ageing population. Nursing Older People. Available at: https://rcni.com/nursing-older-people/opinion/comment/no-quick-fix-to-meetingneeds-of-our-ageing-population-192221 Humphries, B., Dawson J., Aldridge, Z. (2022) Chapter 14. Why is it so complicated? NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding. in What you Really Want to Know About Like with Dementia (Eds Harrison Dening K., Hayo, H., Reddall, C.) Jessica Kingsley Aldridge, Z. (2022) Editorial: Winter Pressures: why nurses’ well-being and self-care is so vital. Nursing Older People. Available at: https://rcni.com/nursing-older-people/opinion/editorial/winter-pressures-why-nurseswell-being-and-self-care-so-vital-190441 Harrison Dening, K., Aldridge, Z., Hayo, H. (2022) Admiral Nursing: supporting generalist nurses to work with families affected by dementia. Nursing Standard. Dec 15. doi: 10.7748/ns.2022.e12006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36519394. Aldridge, Z. (2022) Editorial: Time for a change in how nursing older people is taught and valued. Nursing Older People 34,5,5-5. Doi: 10.7748/nop.34.5.5.s1 Brown ,L., Aldridge, Z., Pepper, A., Leroi, I., Harrison Dening, K. (2022) ‘ It’s just incredible the difference it has made’ Family carers experience of specialist Lewy’s Body dementia Admiral Nurse Service. Age & Ageing Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2022) P158. Admiral Nurse Case Management within Enhanced Health in Care Homes (page 149) New Horizons in dementia: building on hope. Conference Abstracts London ADI ADI-2022-Abstract-Book.pdf (adiconference.org) Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2022) P159 Admiral Nursing in Primary Care: Peri and Post Diagnostic Support for Families Affected by Dementia within Primary Care Network Model(page150) New Horizons in dementia: building on hope. Conference Abstracts London ADI ADI-2022-Abstract-Book.pdf (adiconference.org) Aldridge, Z., Newsome, S. (2022) Dementia and Sensory Impairment. Journal of Community Nursing.36(3)56-61 Harrison Dening, K., Aldridge, Z. (2022) Dementia and end of life: providing good quality palliative care Journal of Community Nursing 36(2) 59-63 Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening K. (2022) Dementia and continence Journal of Community Nursing 35(5) 58-62 (2021) Reproduced in Urology and Continence Care Today https://www.ucctoday.com/journals/issue/launch-edition/article/dementia-and-continence-issues-ucct Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2022) Family and other unpaid cares supporting people with dementia. Journal of Community Nursing 36(1) 47-51 Harrison Dening, K., Aldridge, Z. (2021) The three D’s dementia, delirium and depression. Journal of Community Nursing. 35(6) 59-64 Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening K. (2021) Dementia and continence Journal of Community Nursing 35(5) 58-62 Harrison Dening, K. Aldridge, Z. (2021) Understanding Behaviours in Dementia. Journal of Community Nursing. 35(3) 50-55 Harrison Dening, K. Aldridge, Z. (2021) Enhanced Health in Care Homes for people with dementia: the Admiral Nursing offer, Nursing and Residential Care 23(7) 1-10 Aicken, C., Hodgson, L., de Vries, K., Wilkinson, I., Aldridge, Z., Galvin, K. (2021)‘This Adds Another Perspective’: Qualitative Descriptive Study Evaluating Simulation-Based Training for Health Care Assistants, to Enhance the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 18, 3995. Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2021) Admiral Nurse Case Management within Enhanced Health in Care Homes. OBM Geriatrics ;5(2):19; doi:10.21926/obm.geriatr.2102167. Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2021) Managing comorbid conditions and dementia. Journal of Community Nursing. 35(2):54-59. Harrison Dening, K., Aldridge, Z. (2021)Dementia: recognition and cognitive testing in primary care settings. Journal of Community Nursing. 35(1):43-49. Aldridge, Z. (2020) Research Roundup British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing Vol 16 No 6 Goss-Hill, B., Aldridge, Z. (2020) Admiral Nursing Case Management in Primary Care. Practice Nurse Volume 50 Number 10 Aldridge, Z., Oliver, E., Gardener, H., Dening, K. H. (2020). Admiral Nursing—A Model of Specialist Dementia Care in Acute Hospitals. SAGE Open Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1177/2377960820952677 Aldridge, Z., Parry-Hughes, M., Harrison Dening, K. (2020) Difficult conversations: nutritional needs of care homes residents with advanced dementia. Nursing and Residential Care 2020 22:9, 1-7 Aldridge, Z. (2020) Editorial: Stuck between a rock and hard place: the future of health and social care. Nursing and Residential Care 2020 22:11, 1-1 Aldridge, Z. (2020) Editorial: A time to celebrate the professional care workforce. Nursing and Residential Care 2020 22:9, 1-2 Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K.(2019) Admiral Nursing in Primary Care: Peri and Post-Diagnostic Support for Families Affected by Dementia within the UK Primary Care Network Model. OBM Geriatrics 2019;3(4):16; doi:10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904081 Aldridge, Z., Burns, A., Harrison Dening, K. (2019) ABC model: A tiered integrated pathway approach to peri and post diagnostic support for families living with dementia (Innovative Practice) Dementia. doi: 10.1177/1471301219838086 (E-pub ahead of print Aldridge, Z., Davies, V., Harrison Dening, K. (2019) Admiral Nursing in a holistic intermediate team: supporting families affected by dementia in intermediate care. British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing. 15(5): Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2019) Dementia and Comorbidities A Holistic Approach Practice Nurse. Vol 49 Number 10 pgs. 22-26 Green, H., Aldridge, Z. (2019) Developing an animated resource for children. The Journal of Dementia Care Vol 27 (4). Aldridge, Z. (2019) Chapter 16 Supporting Families and Carers of People with Dementia. In: Harrison Dening ,K. (Ed) Evidence- Base Practice I Dementia for Nurses and Nursing Students pgs. 212-222. Jessica Kingsley. London Harrison Dening, K., Aldridge, Z.(2019) Admiral Nurse Case Management: A Model of Caregiver Support for Families Affected by Dementia. OBM Geriatrics 2019: http://lisden.com/journals/geriatrics-03-02-053 Aldridge, Z., Harrison Dening, K. (2019) Improving diagnosis of dementia-the role of the practice nurse. Practice Nurse. Volume 49 Number 3. Aldridge, Z. (2019) QOP3.4. Zena Aldridge ABC Model: A tiered, integrated pathway approach to peri and post diagnostic support for families living with dementia. Alzheimer Europe Conference. The Hague 23rd=24th October Aldridge, Z., De Vries, K. Brown, J. (2019) PO2.10. Decision-making of nursing home staff when a person with advanced dementia ‘unexpectedly’ deteriorates Alzheimer Europe Conference, The Hague 23rd-24th October Aldridge, Z. (2019) Exploration of the experiences of nursing home staff when making decisions in the event of a resident with advanced dementia deteriorating. International Conference on Palliative Dementia Care. Belfast May 8-10th 2019 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.12446.79689 Harrison Dening, K., Aldridge, Z., Pepper, A., Hodgkison, C. (2017) Admiral Nursing: Case Management for families affected by dementia. Nursing Standard, 31 (24):42-501 Richardson, S., Aldridge, Z., Botsford, J. et al. (2017) Getting Evidence into Admiral Nurse Services (GEANS) Roadmap, 2016-2017. https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/case-study-supportingwell-geans-roadmap.pdf Aldridge, Z., Findlay N. (2015) Norfolk Admiral Nurse pilot: an evaluation report. PO3.74. Alzheimer’s Europe Conference 2nd -4th September 2015 |