Patients' and carers' views on dementia workforce skills

Abstract

Purpose -Through consultation with people living with dementia and carers, this paper aims to identify skills that patients and carers feel need to be developed in the workforce. This work is part of a project to develop competencies for the West Midlands dementia workforce.Design/methodology/approach -People living with a dementia and carers were contacted through café s, a carers' group and memory group, and two people contributed interviews to the analysis. All materials were analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis. Findings -Feedback was received from 69 individuals. In total, six major themes were identified: knowledge about dementia, person centred care, communication, relationships, support and helping people engage in activities.Originality/value -It is argued that people living with dementia and carers bring unique and valuable perspectives to an analysis of the skills of the dementia workforce, which grounds the required skills in the relationship between the worker and the person and family they are working with. This different emphasis needs to be considered and addressed throughout dementia training and education.

Coproduction for Sustainability: Seeking the Perspectives of Informal Dementia Carers’ on Capacity Building for Community Services

“…Previous research by Benbow et al. () reported a similar situation, in which people with dementia and their carers stated: “We wish for consistency in our care plan, where we can build up trust, maybe make a friendship with our care‐workers” (p. 199). Further research into the nature of the relationship between carers and care recipients and those providing professional support may contribute to further understanding about working collaboratively in dementia care.…”

Elements of a sustainable, competent, and empathetic workforce to support patients with dementia during an acute hospital stay: A comprehensive literature review

“…Understanding the current workforce has been highlighted as important as people with dementia, and their family members were able to identify staff who only dealt with the practicalities of caring compared to those who gave of themselves in caring, demonstrating they cared about the people they worked with and related to them as people …”

“…A comprehensive understanding of the provision of dementia care by the current acute hospital workforce emerged through reviewing the preparation of health care professionals including their undergraduate programmes, impact of person‐centred initiatives on health care professionals attitudes and knowledge, nurses intentions to remain in acute elderly care, and the identification of required competencies of health care professionals by people with dementia and their families …”

“…Theoretical and practical knowledge of dementia was emphasised as important by all health care professionals and by people with dementia and their families . Amongst health care professionals, there was a consensus that their training and education had not prepared them to care for acutely unwell patients with cognitive impairment .…”

“…People with dementia and their families also identified the importance of advanced communication skills of health care professionals . On the other hand, health care professionals acknowledged difficulties in communicating with people with cognitive impairment, which impacted on their confidence to care for these patients .…”