Dementia training: limitations and possibilities Jo Moriarty

Sounds familiar? Mrs Smith’s care plan says she needs help remembering to eat meals. When her regular care worker is on holiday, the replacement workers asks Mrs Smith if she has eaten breakfast. ‘Oh yes’ she replies . Relieved as she is running late, the care worker makes a note of this and leaves for her next call Anne calls out to Mr Brown that she will be along to help him to the dining room in a couple of minutes. 10 minutes later, she walks up to his chair saying ‘up we get’ as she places his hands on the arms of the chair. ‘Get off me’, he shouts angrily 12 February 2016 LSAS meeting

Mismatch between skills & support needs Used the National Minimum Data Set for Social Care (NMDS-SC) to compare those working in dementia care with the rest of the adult social care workforce. 42% worked in settings that supported people with dementia Less likely to hold a social care qualification More likely to work for an agency Twin problems of lack of continuity and access to training 12 February 2016 LSAS meeting

Dementia as a disability Not the first people to view dementia as a disability but represents mainstreaming of idea Key aspect is that we focus on the barriers created by society and not the condition itself Helps us to think about ways that enhance skills and strengths https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/ho w-can-and-should-uk-society- adjust-dementia 12 February 2016 LSAS meeting

Using Communication as an example Body of research showing that people with dementia face double disadvantage: Communication problems caused by dementia itself Reduced opportunities to communicate with others Most of this research based on people in care homes but would equally apply to people living on their own 12 February 2016 LSAS meeting

Care workers can be taught Strategies that can help Explaining what is going to happen – e.g. helping you to get dressed Using short sentences Giving people additional time to respond Avoiding ‘elderspeak’ – reduces confidence as being talked down to Understanding people’s personal histories 12 February 2016 LSAS meeting

But... Easier to show benefits for staff than people with dementia Positive practices may fall off if not reinforced Needs positive organisational culture http://www.scie.org.uk/publicat ions/briefings/briefing34/ Not updated but personally unaware of new contradictory evidence 12 February 2016 LSAS meeting

A ‘virtuous circle’? Links between job satisfaction and retention We know a lot about the negatives (pay, status etc) Job satisfaction associated with building relationships Peer support, good supervision and team relationships 12 February 2016 LSAS meeting

Discussion Barriers well known Additional complexities in culturally diverse areas Jelly or jam? Any facilitators? Anything else? 12 February 2016 LSAS meeting

Thank you for listening Disclaimer & thank you The Social Care Workforce Research Unit receives funding from the Department of Health Policy Research Programme. The views expressed here are those of the authors and not the Department of Health Thank you for listening I am academia