Partners in Caregiving in a Special Care Environment: Cooperative Communication Between Staff and Families on Dementia Units

Abstract

Purpose: This article reports the results of a randomized, controlled evaluation of Partners in Caregiving in a Special Care Environment, an intervention designed to improve communication and cooperation between staff and families of residents in nursing home dementia programs. Design and Methods: Participants included 388 family members and 384 nursing staff members recruited from 20 nursing homes, randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. Project staff conducted training sessions on communication and conflict-resolution techniques with two groups at the intervention sites: staff and residents' family members, followed by a joint meeting with facility administrators. Results: Families, staff, residents, and facility programs in the intervention facilities all demonstrated positive outcomes from program participation. Families experienced significant improvement in communicating with staff and in staff behaviors toward them, and spouses of residents increased their care involvement. Staff reported reduced conflict with families and reduced depression; burnout for nurses increased for individuals in the control group but not those in the treatment group. Behavioral symptoms decreased for residents, and facilities implemented more family-focused programs. Implications: Effective staff and family partnerships are critical in caring for residents with dementia. The Partners in Caregiving in a Special Care Environment program is an evidencebased intervention that enables these partnerships to develop and thrive, translating into improved experiences for residents, families, and staff.

Effectiveness of family interventions in nursing homes. A systematic review

“…Respecto a las intervenciones, la mayoría [15][16][17][18][19][20] van dirigidas a trabajar con cuidadores familiares de ancianos institucionalizados, y de éstas, tres [15][16][17] incluyen a su vez a los profesionales de los centros (enfermeras y auxiliares de enfermería).…”

“…En cuanto a las intervenciones dirigidas tanto a los cuidadores como a los profesionales de los centros [15][16][17] , su objetivo se centraba en mejorar la colaboración entre ambos, y con ello disminuir los conflictos entre ellos.…”

“…Una de las causas de la falta de formación puede estar relacionada con la dificultad que entraña reclutar a los profesionales como participantes. La mayoría de ellos trabajan a turnos y poseen contratos temporales, por lo que les resulta complicado acudir a las sesiones de formación requeridas en los estudios [15][16][17] . Así mismo, la formación impartida a los profesionales podría haber sido insuficiente.…”

“…De los siete artículos seleccionados, cinco son estudios experimentales 15,[17][18][19][20] y dos son cuasi-experimentales 16,21 . Los participantes de seis de los estudios son cuidadores principales de personas institucionalizadas [15][16][17][18][19][20] .…”

“…Los participantes de seis de los estudios son cuidadores principales de personas institucionalizadas [15][16][17][18][19][20] . Además, en tres de los seis artículos, incluyen también a los profesionales del centro (enfermeras y auxiliares de enfermería) [15][16]18 .…”