Modelling the comparative costs of Namaste Care: results from the namaste care intervention UK study

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to populate a theoretical cost model with real-world data, calculating staffing, resource and consumable costs of delivering Namaste Care Intervention UK (NCI-UK) sessions versus “usual care” for care home residents with advanced dementia.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from five care homes delivering NCI-UK sessions populated the cost model to generate session- and resident-level costs. Comparator usual care costs were calculated based on expert opinion and observational data. Outcome data for residents assessed the impact of NCI-UK sessions and aligned with the resident-level costs of NCI-UK.

Findings

NCI-UK had a positive impact on residents’ physical, social and emotional well-being. An average NCI-UK group session cost £220.53, 22% more than usual care, and ran for 1.5–2 h per day for 4–9 residents. No additional staff were employed to deliver NCI-UK, but staff-resident ratios were higher during Namaste Care. Usual care costs were calculated for the same time period when no group activity was organised. The average cost per resident, per NCI-UK session was £38.01, £7.24 more than usual care. In reality, costs were offset by consumables and resources being available from stock within a home.

Originality/value

Activity costs are rarely calculated as the focus tends to be on impact and outcomes. This paper shows that, although not cost neutral as previously thought, NCI-UK is a low-cost way of improving the lives of people living with advanced dementia in care homes.

Citation

Bray, J., Brooker, D., Latham, I. and Baines, D. (2021), "Modelling the comparative costs of Namaste Care: results from the namaste care intervention UK study", Working with Older People, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 131-140. https://doi.org/10.1108/WWOP-11-2020-0056