The Opportunities and Challenges of Conducting Observational Research in Care Homes: What a Researcher Brings, Does, and Leaves Behind?

Context: Observation is an increasingly popular method for care home research.
However, there are challenges associated with the use of this method in this context.
As researchers, what we bring, what we do, and what we leave behind when using this
method can have a significant impact on the lives and work of people in care homes.
Perspective: Drawing on the experiences of two research teams, we share realworld examples of the ethical, methodological, and practical concerns when using
the non-participant observation method in a care home context. Four key areas for
observational research in care homes are considered: privacy and confidentiality;
managing consent; observation activities and the role and skills of the researcher;
and sensitivity, reflexivity, and relational aspects of observational research. We offer
examples from our work to guide researchers on: i) making a case for ethics; ii) the
observational ‘gaze’ (or focus); iii) including people who lack capacity; iv) addressing
concerns about care or practices; v) the role of the researcher; and vi) addressing
observational sensitivities.
Implications: This paper highlights the opportunities and challenges of the nonparticipant observation method for care home research. In particular, we highlight the
unique contextual and ‘people’ factors for researchers to consider. Our paper addresses
a significant gap in the existing literature. It will be of interest to researchers worldwide, generating discussions that will support the research community to undertake
research that appropriately uses observational methods to address questions that
matter for the sector and to generate high-quality evidence with the potential to
benefit those living and working in care homes.