Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Rehabilitation Science
• Allied Health Professions Education
• Dementia Care Research

Background:

• Rehabilitation is vital for dementia care, yet access is limited by knowledge gaps and systemic barriers.
• The INCLUDE initiative was developed to overcome these challenges through interdisciplinary training and a Community of Practice (CoP).
• Allied health professionals (AHPs) are key to delivering effective dementia rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the INCLUDE initiative on AHPs' knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and practices in dementia rehabilitation.
• To assess the effectiveness of online training modules and a CoP in enhancing dementia care skills.
• To identify changes in professional collaboration and advocacy following the intervention.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal pre-post study design with two groups of AHPs.
• Group 1 received online modules and CoP participation; Group 2 received only online modules.
• Data collection at baseline, post-training, and a 10-month follow-up (for Group 1), using validated scales and Social Network Analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements observed in dementia knowledge (p < 0.001), social comfort (p < 0.001), and rehabilitation confidence (p < 0.001) from baseline to post-training.
• Preliminary analysis included 476 AHPs across two intake groups.
• Further insights on long-term impact, professional collaboration, and advocacy are expected from the 10-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The INCLUDE initiative effectively enhances AHPs' knowledge, confidence, and interdisciplinary collaboration in dementia rehabilitation.
• The program addresses critical barriers hindering access to quality dementia care.
• Ongoing education and peer collaboration are crucial for advancing inclusive dementia care practices.