Translating research knowledge in dementia care organisations.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Management
• Knowledge Translation

Background:

• Effective dementia care relies on integrating research findings into practice.
• Organisational capacity significantly influences the adoption of evidence-based practices in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the capabilities of dementia care organizations in New Zealand to acquire, evaluate, adapt, and implement dementia research.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to research utilization within dementia care settings.

Main Methods:

• An online survey, adapted from the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation's 'Is research working for you?' tool, was distributed.
• Members of the New Zealand National Dementia Cooperative were invited to participate.

Main Results:

• 146 responses (32% participation rate) indicated that while staff possessed research skills, organizational support was limited.
• Key limitations included insufficient time, resources, and access to external support for research engagement and implementation.
• A gap exists between the workforce's research capabilities and the organizational infrastructure to support evidence-based practice.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a need for enhanced organizational support to foster research uptake in dementia care.
• Proposed strategies aim to improve knowledge translation, bridging the gap between research evidence and clinical practice.
• Strengthening organizational capacity is crucial for advancing dementia care quality through research integration.