title: Assisted living facility administrator and direct care staff views of resident mental health concerns and staff training needs.
abstract: This community needs assessment surveyed 21 administrators and 75 direct care staff at 9 larger and 12 smaller assisted living facilities (ALFs) regarding perceptions of resident mental health concerns, direct care staff capacity to work with residents with mental illness, and direct care staff training needs. Group differences in these perceptions were also examined. Both administrators and directcare staff indicated that direct care staff would benefit from mental health-related training, and direct care staff perceived themselves as being more comfortable working with residents with mental illness than administrators perceived them to be. Implications for gerontological social work are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 80523–1586, USA. dakin@cahs.colostate.edu
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dakin
authors.forename: Louise M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Quijano
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McAlister
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D058016:Health Facility Administration / Q000592:standards*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards; D013192:Staff Development / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013663:Teaching