DESKK Study - Development and testing of a dementia-specific respite care concept with a mobility and counselling...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Dementia Care
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Specific mobility programs can delay functional decline in people with dementia (PwD).
• Family caregivers (FCs) experience significant burden, which can be alleviated by counselling services.
• Respite care centers (RCCs) offer short-term inpatient care (1-8 weeks) and can support dementia care arrangements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test an evidence-based mobility and counselling program for PwD and their FCs within the respite care setting.
• To address the lack of systematic mobility and counselling programs in German RCCs.
• To create a dementia-specific respite care concept (DESKK) suitable for implementation.

Main Methods:

• A pilot-based, quasi-experimental evaluation study conducted in a specialized RCC.
• Qualitative data collection via semi-standardized interviews with RCC staff and FCs to assess acceptance and usability.
• Quantitative data collection to evaluate effect tendencies on PwD mobility and FC burden using a mixed-methods triangulation approach.

Main Results:

• The study successfully developed and tested the DESKK concept.
• Qualitative data provided insights into the acceptance and usability of the program.
• Quantitative data indicated potential effect tendencies on mobility and burden, warranting further investigation.

Conclusions:

• The DESKK concept offers a structured, evidence-based approach for integrating mobility training and caregiver counselling into respite care settings.
• The findings support the potential of RCCs to serve as enhanced support structures for dementia care.
• Further research and implementation in other RCCs are recommended to validate and disseminate the DESKK concept.