Blended Learning Among Elderly Care Managers Inspires Projects That Take Older People’s Perspectives Into Account

Abstract

When the national core value system was introduced in Sweden, care professionals were challenged to be part of a paradigm shift by changing their perspective, from regarding older people like passive recipients of societal efforts to treating them as active subjects and taking their preferences and wishes into consideration as well. To realize this shift in attitudes and behavior, an interprofessional blended education course was offered. The present study explored the utility of the blended educational approach in the local implementation of the national policy in elderly care. We argue that the course has contributed to enhanced competence in terms of how professionals relate theories and targeted discussions to specific and concrete improvement in their professions and workplaces.

Professional practice‐related training and organizational readiness for change facilitate implementation of projects on the national core value system in care of older people

“…One purpose of professional training is for theoretical knowledge to contribute to quality development in everyday practice (Schatzki, ; Umb Carlsson et al, ). The present study showed that a quarter of the project plans were never commenced.…”

“…Previous results have shown that the training stimulated thoughts and ideas related to the national core value system (cf. Umb Carlsson et al, ) and that most participants wanted to implement their ideas. The present results revealed that environmental factors could act as facilitating or obstructing factors.…”

“…The aim of the course was to teach managers about a change in Swedish law concerning “the national core value system for care of older people” and to encourage them to work, at their workplaces, with the changes required to implement the new ideas in the legal text. An earlier study (Umb Carlsson, Källberg, & Wadensten, ) investigated all of the managers' project aims and found that they sought to develop and improve measures that facilitate older persons' participation in decision‐making. Four different categories of projects were identified: management and organization ( N = 351, 43.9%), professional development ( N = 133, 16.6%), working methods ( N = 289, 36.1%) and user participation ( N = 27, 3.4%).…”

“…Web‐based education, including various kinds of e‐learning, was combined with conventional face‐to‐face communication. A detailed description of the training programme has been previously reported (Umb Carlsson et al, ). The course was offered on a 25% of full‐time basis.…”

“…In addition, participants described how the plan would be implemented, who would be involved and how improvement efforts would be evaluated. The kinds of projects designed fell into four different categories: management and organization, professional development, working methods and user participation (Umb Carlsson et al, ). About 900 persons started the course during the first two semesters it was offered.…”