Implementation and outcomes of a dementia-friendly training program in five hospitals.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Dementia Care Management

Background:

• Hospitalized patients living with dementia (PLWD) aged 65 and older often experience suboptimal health outcomes.
• Existing hospital systems may not adequately address the unique needs of PLWD, contributing to poor care experiences and results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a dementia-friendly training program for hospital staff.
• To evaluate the impact of this training on patient outcomes, including falls, length of stay, and readmission rates.
• To foster sustainable system-level changes within hospitals to better support PLWD.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study was conducted across five hospitals utilizing the CARES® Dementia 5-Step Method for Hospitals Online Training.
• Staff completed online modules and a didactic session, followed by pre- and post-intervention surveys.
• Key patient outcomes such as falls, length of stay, and readmission rates were systematically collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• A total of 1,836 (41%) hospital staff members successfully completed the dementia-friendly training.
• Significant positive shifts were observed in staff-reported recognition of dementia symptoms and needs post-training.
• While falls and readmission rates remained stable, a statistically significant decrease of 0.24 in the average number of hospital stays per patient was noted (p=0.01).

Conclusions:

• Dementia-friendly hospital training effectively enhances staff's ability to recognize and appropriately respond to the needs of hospitalized patients living with dementia.
• The training contributes to improved patient care and potentially more efficient resource utilization, as evidenced by reduced length of stay.