Simon Burrow

‘Getting to Know Me’: the development and evaluation of a training programme for enhancing skills in the care of people with dementia in general hospital settings

Objective: The aims of the study were to report on the development and evaluation of a staff training intervention in dementia care designed for use in the general hospital setting: the ‘Getting to Know Me’ training programme. The study also aimed to undertake initial psychometric analysis on two new outcome scales designed to measure knowledge and confidence in dementia care.Methods: The study comprised two phases. The first phase comprised the design of two questionnaires which are shared within this paper: Confidence in Dementia (CODE) Scale and Knowledge in Dementia (KIDE) Scale. In phase two, staff undertook the ‘Getting to Know Me’ training programme (n = 71). The impact of the programme was evaluated using a pre–post design which explored: (1) changes in confidence in dementia; (2) changes in knowledge in dementia; and (3) changes in beliefs about challenging behaviour.Results: The psychometric properties of the CODE and KIDE scales are reported. Statistically significant change was identified pre–post training on all outcome measures. Clinically meaningful change was demonstrated on the CODE scale.Conclusions: The ‘Getting to Know Me’ programme was well received and had a significant impact on staff knowledge and confidence. Our findings add to a growing evidence base which will be strengthened by further robust studies, the exploration of the impact of staff training on direct patient outcomes, and further identification of ways in which to transfer principles of care from specialist dementia environments into general hospital settings.

Atdementia: An information resource on assistive technologies that help support the independence of people with dementia

Technologies have the capacity to be enabling or disabling for people who are living with dementia. Accessible information is required to equip people to make informed decisions about what technologies are available and how they may be utilised to support independence. This article describes the development of a web-based resource called ATdementia which was designed to provide independent information on assistive technologies for people who are living with dementia. It was designed to be accessed by people with dementia, families, supporters and professionals. The article describes the development and the early operation of ATdementia. Mention is also made of the ATguide, a self assessment tool to support decision-making in relation to technologies. ATguide was launched in 2012.

Life story resources in dementia care: a review

PURPOSE Life story work has a relatively long tradition in the caring sciences and is recognised as an important component of dementia care and practice. However, to date, there has not been a review of accessible life story resources. The paper aims to discuss these issues. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH Following a systematic approach to identification and inclusion, 11 life story resources were reviewed to ascertain areas of commonality and divergence between the materials. FINDINGS The authors were able to group the analysis under eight areas and at the end of this process, it was uncertain if life story work is a formal staff intervention or an informal activity that people with dementia and their families could engage in. Resources also varied in terms of whether the life story information was organised in a chronological way, or with topics of interest/discussion or with a combination of both. Life story evaluation and its impact on the life of the person with dementia is in need of development. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Across the resources the authors identified four reasons to do life story work which the authors have named as: emotional connections; interactional connections; building new connections and practical care connections. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS There was limited guidance aimed at helping people with dementia to develop and compile their own life story. ORIGINALITY/VALUE This paper provides new insights into the usefulness, future directions and content of life story resources in dementia care. It will be of interest to those in health and social care as well as people living with dementia.

How can older people's mental health services in the UK respond to the escalating prevalence of alcohol misuse among older adults?

Purpose – There is growing statistical and research evidence to suggest that the prevalence of alcohol misuse is increasing among older adults in the UK. This has been an under‐recognised problem, but is now a source of increasing concern for health and social care providers. Older adults with mental health problems have increased vulnerability to problematic alcohol use, and this is likely to have a significant impact on older peoples mental health services (OPMHS).Design/methodology/approach – This paper discusses some of the problems facing OPMHS in relation to increasing alcohol misuse among services users.Findings – There is also evidence that alcohol misuse in older adults is often poorly identified and untreated within health and social care services including OPMHS. Use of an alcohol‐screening tool as part of a health care assessment is an effective way to improve detection. This paper also reviews the use of alcohol screening tools in the detection of alcohol related illness among older adults w...

‘Getting to Know Me’: The second phase roll-out of a staff training programme for supporting people with dementia in general hospitals

Objectives The aims were to evaluate a second phase roll-out of a dementia care training programme for general hospital staff and to further develop two outcome scales: the Confidence in Dementia scale for measuring confidence in working with people with dementia and the Knowledge in Dementia scale for measuring knowledge in dementia. Method Following a ‘training the trainers’ phase, the study involved the delivery of the ‘Getting to Know Me’ training programme to a large number of staff (n = 517) across three National Health Service (NHS) Trusts situated in North-West England. The impact of the programme was evaluated using a pre–post design which explored: (i) changes in confidence in dementia, (ii) changes in knowledge in dementia, and (iii) changes in beliefs about behaviours that challenge. Results Statistically significant change was identified between pre–post training on all outcome measures (Confidence in Dementia: eight point increase, p < 0.001; Knowledge in Dementia: two point increase p < 0.001; controllability beliefs scale: four point decrease, p < 0.001). Medium to large effect sizes were demonstrated on all outcome measures. The psychometric properties of the Confidence in Dementia and Knowledge in Dementia scales are reported. Conclusion Staff knowledge in dementia and confidence in working with people with dementia significantly increased following attendance at the training sessions. The findings are consistent with preliminary findings and strengthen current knowledge about the impact of dementia care training in general hospitals. The Confidence in Dementia and Knowledge in Dementia scales continue to demonstrate psychometrically sound properties and demonstrate utility in the field of dementia research.

Continuing professional education: Motivations and experiences of health and social care professional’s part-time study in higher education. A qualitative literature review

OBJECTIVES To understand the motivations and experiences of health and social care professionals undertaking part-time, accredited, continuing professional education in higher education. DESIGN A review following systematic principles. DATA SOURCES Systematic searches for literature published between January 2000 and December 2015 using the databases: SCOPUS, Web of Science, Medline, PsychINFO, Social Policy and Practice and CINAHL. REVIEW METHODS Studies were included if they were published in the English language and were qualitative in design, focussing on the motivations and experiences of staff engaged in part-time, accredited, higher education study. Three reviewers appraised the quality of the selected studies. RESULTS Thirteen qualitative studies were identified for the review. Motivating factors for staff to engage in part-time, accredited, continuing professional development study included: personal and professional drivers, influence of workplace/management and funding and availability. Key themes in relation to how staff experienced study included: the demands of adjusting to the academic requirements of higher education study; the experience of juggling competing demands of study, work and family; and the presence or absence of support for part-time study in the personal and professional arenas. CONCLUSIONS Health and social care professionals experience a number of challenges when engaging in part-time, continuing professional education in higher education institutions. A significant challenge is the juggling of competing demands of study, work and family, and this may have a negative impact on learning. Research is needed to inform how higher education can address the specific learning needs of this population and develop pedagogic approaches that are both responsive to need and support of effective learning.

Student experiences of taught part-time study on a postgraduate dementia studies programme: findings from an electronic questionnaire survey

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the findings from an electronic questionnaire survey which set out to explore experiences of graduates of a part-time Master’s programme in dementia care at The University of Manchester. Design/methodology/approach An electronic questionnaire survey was sent to 57 graduates who had studied on the programme since it began in 2003. Thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data from responses to six open-ended questions. Findings In total, 31 completed questionnaires were received. Four key themes were identified from the qualitative data: juggling competing demands; experiencing personal growth and achievement; locating sources of support; and supporting changes to practice. Research limitations/implications Limitations included the small sample size and the survey not covering the experiences of students who had failed to complete the first year of study. Originality/value The study demonstrates the perceived value of dementia education at more advanced levels for people working in professional roles in dementia care, this included professional and personal development and supporting changes to practice. The study additionally adds to a limited evidence base relating to how mature, health and social care students experience part-time study in higher education and has implications for future research aimed at informing the development of appropriate course design and employer support.