title: Dementia care. 2: Exploring how nursing staff manage challenging behaviour.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This second in a three part series on dementia care explores different approaches to care; part 1 examined communication issues. Dementia care traditionally uses a medical approach to management, which focuses on the standard neurogenic disease paradigm, but now many care home staff and health professionals are moving towards a person centred approach, based on biopsychosocial explanations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to examine the extent to which care home staff have adopted a person centred approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus groups were carried out with 36 direct care staff from nine care homes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study found evidence that both models of dementia care were in use. Three homes mainly used the medical approach, four the person centred approach and two were moving towards the latter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Training in biopsychosocial approaches to managing challenging behaviours in dementia is needed for care home staff, family and other health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust.
authors.forename: Nicola L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: Jan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Oyebode
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D004739:England; D017144:Focus Groups; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic