Perspectives of the community-based dementia care workforce: “occupational communion” a key finding from the Work 4 Dementia Project

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 765-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate-Ellen J. Elliott ◽  
Christine M. Stirling ◽  
Angela J. Martin ◽  
Andrew L. Robinson ◽  
Jennifer L. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Support ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Job Roles ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Strong Attachment

ABSTRACTBackground: Community care workers’ experience of delivering support to people with dementia is less researched than that of residential workers. The purpose of the study is to explore community-based dementia care workers’ perspectives about their roles and the contextual variables that impact upon their work experiences.Method: A qualitative design was employed. Twenty-five community dementia care workers (average age 53 years, majority female and employed casually) participated in standardized semi-structured interviews about their job roles, training, employer agenda, organizational support, and intention to stay. A deductive approach to Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was adopted to identify key themes.Results: Three themes highlighted workers’ experiences. Occupational communion described strong attachment to clients and a desire for greater connection with colleagues. Job demands described the challenges of work, which varied with intensity. Job resources ranged from positive (strong organizational commitment) to negative (poor pay and conditions). Occupational communion was identified as a concept that exists at the interface between social and organization psychology that was perceived to be essential for adaptive coping. Identifying themes informed a conceptual model for designing intervention components aimed at improving workers’ skills, capabilities, and employer supportive functions.Conclusion: Occupational communion may be particularly relevant for women's caring careers and future research is needed to explore the relevance of this concept for men. To determine reliable change associated with interventions that target occupational communion, further investigation is required in relation to measurement approaches.

Library services enriching community engagement for dementia care: The Tales & Travels Program at a Canadian Public Library as a case study

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110651
Author(s):  
Jiamin Dai ◽  
Joan C. Bartlett ◽  
Karyn Moffatt
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
People With Dementia

Growing dementia-friendly library services are contributing to community-based dementia care. Emerging community programs in libraries and museums provide notable opportunities for promoting engagement and inclusivity, but these programs have yet to receive in-depth assessments and analyses to guide future research and practice. This paper presents a case study examining a social and storytelling program for people with dementia run by a Canadian public library. It investigates two research questions: How can public library programs contribute to community-based dementia care? And what are public libraries’ strengths and challenges in running programs for people with dementia? The study involves participant observations of the program and semi-structured interviews with people with dementia, caregivers, and program facilitators (librarians and Alzheimer Society coordinators). Through thematic analysis of fieldnotes and transcripts, the study reveals how this inclusive platform supports engagement, fosters relationships, helps caregivers, and reaches broader communities. This research further uncovers the librarians’ diversified roles as demonstrated through their collaboration with professionals, preparation and research, and facilitation of the sessions. This paper advances librarianship research on enriching community-based dementia care, including furthering inclusivity and engagement and extending accessible library services. By analyzing library programming for the dementia community and assessing its strengths and challenges, the paper highlights librarians’ awareness of the community’s evolving needs and their collaboration with other professionals. It offers practical insights on useful resources and emerging best practices that will hopefully inspire other initiatives in which information professionals can help improve the well-being of vulnerable populations.

scholarly journals Subjective wellbeing in people living with dementia: exploring processes of multiple object handling sessions in a museum setting

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Paul M. Camic ◽  
Laura Dickens ◽  
Hannah Zeilig ◽  
Sarah Strohmaier
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Wellbeing ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Multiple Object ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Group Object

Background: Dementia care guidance highlights the importance of supporting people living with dementia to access engaging and meaningful activities to promote their quality of life. There is a growing evidence base for the efficacy of heritage settings and arts-based interventions to provide social prescribing opportunities to help support wellbeing in this population. This study extended previous research and explored the potential processes underlying this effect in multiple small group object handling sessions in a museum setting.    Methods: A mixed-methods design was used comprising a measure of subjective wellbeing and thematic analysis to explore in-the-moment session content across multiple sessions. Four people with dementia participated in three, one-hour group object handling sessions led by two facilitators. Results: Pre-post wellbeing scores showed increases after each session though this was largely not significant. Qualitative findings provided more compelling results, however, and identified four key themes: facilitating, interest in exploring objects, active participation, and group collaboration; interpretations were made around the dynamic interaction of themes and subthemes over the course of three sessions. Conclusions: This is the first study we are aware of that has taken an in-depth look at multiple museum-based group object handling sessions for people living with dementia. Findings offer ways to optimise object handling sessions for people with dementia by providing in-depth information about the processes involved across multiple object handling sessions facilitated by museum/heritage professionals in a museum setting. This has useful implications for community-based activities as part of dementia care planning and public health programming. The study contributes to a deeper understanding and elucidates the processes that enhance wellbeing for this population who participate in such sessions. It also helps to develop further theoretical understanding about why these types of activities are helpful in community-based dementia care. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

Improving well-being in dementia care for clients and carers

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 321-326
Author(s):  
Rhonda Riachi ◽  
Sally Markwell
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Communication Techniques ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Workers

Purpose This paper aims to highlight the results and emerging themes from a study concerning the effect of communication techniques that were tailored to each client in relation to the extent of their dementia. Dementia was viewed by the care workers primarily as a memory disability. Design/methodology/approach A short qualitative study of the communication techniques of care workers in England, who had received training in dementia care and some training in the SPECAL® method (Specialised Early Care for Alzheimer’s),was conducted through semi-structured interviews. Resulting data were analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Findings Continued application of the SPECAL techniques appeared to reinforced clients’ sense of well-being and produced benefits for care workers’ own well-being. Research limitations/implications This small qualitative study suggests there can be beneficial effects for both clients and the care team when care workers tailor their communication behaviour to the needs of people with dementia. Further research on communication techniques in dementia care is needed and how these benefits might be translated into institutional settings. Originality/value Few research studies have been made of the SPECAL dementia care method, and this study was the first to look explicitly at the communication techniques that the care workers used with clients. Public health professionals are less likely to be aware of the SPECAL method.

scholarly journals Dementia Care Mapping in long-term care settings: a systematic review of the evidence

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1609-1618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Barbosa ◽  
Kathryn Lord ◽  
Alan Blighe ◽  
Gail Mountain
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Term Care ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Care Mapping ◽  
Dementia Care Mapping

ABSTRACTBackground:This systematic review identifies and reports the extent and nature of evidence to support the use of Dementia Care Mapping as an intervention in care settings.Methods:The review was limited to studies that used Dementia Care Mapping as an intervention and included outcomes involving either care workers and/or people living with dementia. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Knowledge, CINAHL, PsychINFO, EBSCO, and Scopus and manually from identified articles reference lists. Studies published up to January 2017 were included. Initial screening of identified papers was based on abstracts read by one author; full-text papers were further evaluated by a second author. The quality of the identified papers was assessed independently by two authors using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. A narrative synthesis of quantitative findings was conducted.Results:We identified six papers fulfilling predefined criteria. Studies consist of recent, large scale, good quality trials that had some positive impacts upon care workers’ stress and burnout and benefit people with dementia in terms of agitated behaviors, neuropsychiatric symptoms, falls, and quality of life.Conclusion:Available research provides preliminary evidence that Dementia Care Mapping may benefit care workers and people living with dementia in care settings. Future research should build on the successful studies to date and use other outcomes to better understand the benefits of this intervention.

scholarly journals A Multiple Stakeholder Perspective for Evaluating Community-Based Dementia Care

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 60-61
Author(s):  
Johan Suen
Keyword(s):  
Dementia Care ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Relational Factors ◽  
Care Relationships ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

Abstract For holistic interventions and research on dementia, it is fundamental to understand care experiences from the perspectives of carers, care recipients, and care professionals. While research on care dyads and triads have highlighted the effects of communication and interactional aspects on care relationships, there is a lack of knowledge on how individual-contextual and relational factors shape the provision and receipt of care in terms of decision-making processes, resource allocation, and expectations of care outcomes. Thus, this paper sheds light on (i) how carers negotiate care provision with other important life domains such as employment, household/family roles and conflicts, as well as their own health problems, life goals, values, and aspirations for ageing; (ii) how older adults with dementia perceive support and those who provide it; (iii) the structural constraints faced by care professionals in delivering a team-based mode of dementia care; and, taken together, (iv) how community-based dementia care is impeded by barriers at the individual, relational, and institutional levels. Findings were derived from semi-structured interviews and observational data from fieldwork conducted with 20 persons with dementia (median age = 82), 20 of their carers (median age = 60), and 4 professional care providers. All respondents were clients and staff of a multidisciplinary and community-based dementia care system in Singapore. Our analysis indicates the impact of dementia care is strongly mediated by the interplay between institutional/familial contexts of care provision and the various ‘orientations’ to cognitive impairment and seeking support, which we characterised as ‘denial/acceptance’, ‘obligated’, ‘overprotective’, and ‘precariously vulnerable’.

scholarly journals A qualitative study of the shared experience of humour between people living with dementia and their partners

Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1794-1810
Author(s):  
Helen Hickman ◽  
Chris Clarke ◽  
Emma Wolverson
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Relationship Strength ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Person With Dementia

Humour is a complex social and emotional experience which could constitute a positive resource for people endeavouring to live well with dementia. However, little is currently known about the shared use and value of humour in dyads where one person has dementia. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore how people with dementia and their care-partners experience, use and draw meaning from humour in relation to their shared experiences of dementia and their ongoing relationships. Ten participant dyads (the person with dementia and their spousal partner) took part in joint semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed eight subthemes that were subsumed under three super-ordinate themes: ‘Humour Has Always Been There (and Always Will Be)’; ‘Withstanding Dementia’ and ‘Renewing the Value of Humour in Dementia’. Overall, the findings suggest that humour, in different forms, can represent a salient and enduring relationship strength that helps dyads maintain well-being and couplehood by providing a buffer against stressors associated with dementia. The findings highlight the potential value of integrating a dyadic perspective with strengths-based approaches in future research into how people live well with dementia.

scholarly journals Personalisation, customisation and bricolage: how people with dementia and their families make assistive technology work for them

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 2502-2519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant Gibson ◽  
Claire Dickinson ◽  
Katie Brittain ◽  
Louise Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Technology Use ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Everyday Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Manage Care ◽  
Age In Place ◽  
Care Services ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Everyday

AbstractAssistive technologies (ATs) are being ‘mainstreamed’ within dementia care, where they are promoted as enabling people with dementia to age in place alongside delivering greater efficiencies in care. AT provision focuses upon standardised solutions, with little known about how ATs are used by people with dementia and their carers within everyday practice. This paper explores how people with dementia and carers use technologies in order to manage care. Findings are reported from qualitative semi-structured interviews with 13 people with dementia and 26 family carers. Readily available household technologies were used in conjunction with and instead of AT to address diverse needs, replicating AT functions when doing so. Successful technology use was characterised by ‘bricolage’ or the non-conventional use of tools or methods to address local needs. Carers drove AT use by engaging creatively with both assistive and everyday technologies, however, carers were not routinely supported in their creative engagements with technology by statutory health or social care services, making bricolage a potentially frustrating and wasteful process. Bricolage provides a useful framework to understand how technologies are used in the everyday practice of dementia care, and how technology use can be supported within care. Rather than implementing standardised AT solutions, AT services and AT design in future should focus on how technologies can support more personalised, adaptive forms of care.

Japan

2019 ◽  
pp. 45-54
Author(s):  
Yumi Shindo ◽  
Akira Homma
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Population ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Educational Programmes ◽  
Set Up

There are two strengths of dementia care services available in Japan. One strength is the creation of the Integrated Community Care System, which aims to provide various services that the elderly might need within their areas of residence. It is the responsibility of local governments to set up the ICCS, because each community has different social resources, as well as differences in the local population and the number of elderly individuals. The other strength lies in the various educational opportunities in dementia available to medical and long-term care professionals. In 2001, the national government introduced educational programmes for care workers in the field of dementia care. In addition, educational programmes for medical doctors, managers of facilities/service centres for people with dementia, medical professionals working in hospitals, pharmacists, and dentists are currently provided under the government’s policies.

The Virtuous Circle: A Grounded Theory Exploration of the Good Lives Model

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 908-929
Author(s):  
Miriam Ryan ◽  
Mathew McCauley ◽  
Davina Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Good Lives Model ◽  
Sexual Offenses ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Good Lives

Sexual offenses evoke strong emotional responses and frequently elicit demands from society that offenders be indefinitely incarcerated or treated until they are deemed safe, which may impact the provision of therapeutic treatment for offenders. However, in recent years, there has been a proposal to move toward a positive, strengths-based treatment approach, namely the Good Lives Model (GLM). The present study used semi-structured interviews and a constructivist grounded theory approach to examine the experience of 13 men who were voluntarily engaging in or had completed a GLM community-based treatment program. A conceptual model emerged which outlines the process the men underwent, the factors they identified as crucial for change, and the perceived gains. The model extends previous work by exploring the process from the clients’ perspective. Implications for future research, prevention, and treatment are discussed.

The ethical evaluation of assistive technology for practitioners: a checklist arising from a participatory study with people with dementia, family and professionals

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Godwin
Keyword(s):  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethical Evaluation ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Monitoring And Surveillance ◽  
At Home

PurposeUncertainty over ethical impact may hinder uptake of assistive technology (AT) in dementia. This study aims to examine whether AT contributes to person‐centred care, whether users can participate in research and to explore ethical dilemmas with users, family and professional carers.Design/methodology/approachPeople with dementia, at home or in residential care, and carers were allocated equipment and consulted about ethics. In a small, qualitative study, data were collected using semi‐structured interviews and vignettes and content‐analysed to establish themes.FindingsAT in person‐centred dementia care requires meticulous assessment, reliability and availability in rapidly evolving situations. Users displayed insight, logic and empathy in ethical evaluation. They disliked remote monitoring and surveillance, whereas carers were pragmatic, prioritising safety.Research limitations/implicationsThis research provides further evidence that users with dementia can be included in research. It demonstrates a significant potential role for AT in dementia care, with an ethical checklist to help professionals evaluate ethical dilemmas.Originality/valueAT potentially increases wellbeing, enabling users to remain longer at home, delaying or avoiding moves to or between homes.

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