Keywords

assisted living, dementia care, long-term care, nursing home, staff training

 

Authors

  1. BEEBER, ANNA SONG PHD, RN
  2. ZIMMERMAN, SHERYL PHD
  3. FLETCHER, SUSAN MSW
  4. MITCHELL, C. MADELINE MURP
  5. GOULD, ELIZABETH MSW

Abstract

Evidence suggests that staff training in dementia care can improve the quality of care and the quality of life for older adults in nursing home (NH) and residential care/assisted living (RC/AL) settings. Although there is a great need for staff to be trained in dementia care, the long-term care setting poses challenges for training and uptake of new practices. This article provides a review of the published literature on dementia care staff training in NHs and RC/AL settings, the challenges faced when conducting training, and how these challenges influence the evaluation of its effectiveness. The authors examined this issue by reviewing 382 articles published between 1995 and 2009, with 25 articles meeting the review's inclusion criteria of provided staff training in dementia care, being conducted in an NH or RC/AL setting, focusing on changing overall dementia care practices (instead of single issues such as wandering or incontinence), or providing a review of relevant literature. Findings suggest that staff training is challenged by low staff attendance, lack of organizational support, and financial limitations. This review highlights the need for practical strategies to better focus and conduct staff training, such as involving community members and practitioners in the content and design of training.