title: Evaluating the capabilities model of dementia care: a non-randomized controlled trial exploring resident quality of life and care staff attitudes and experiences.
abstract: This 12 month, Australian study sought to compare the Capabilities Model of Dementia Care (CMDC) with usual long-term care (LTC), in terms of (1) the effectiveness of the CMDC in assisting care staff to improve Quality Of Life (QOL) for older people with dementia; and (2) whether implementation of the CMDC improved staff attitudes towards, and experiences of working and caring for the person with dementia.
  
  
  
  A single blind, non-randomized controlled trial design, involving CMDC intervention group (three facilities) and a comparison usual LTC practice control group (one facility), was conducted from August 2010 to September 2011. Eighty-one staff members and 48 family members of a person with dementia were recruited from these four LTC facilities. At baseline, 6 and 12 months, staff completed a modified Staff Experiences of Working with Demented Residents questionnaire (SEWDR), and families completed the Quality of Life - Alzheimer's Disease questionnaire (QOL-AD).
  
  
  
  LTC staff in the usual care group reported significantly lower SEWDR scores (i.e. less work satisfaction) than those in the CMDC intervention group at 12 months (p = 0.005). Similarly, family members in the comparison group reported significantly lower levels of perceived QOL for their relative with dementia (QOL-AD scores) than their counterparts in the CMDC intervention group at 12 months (p = 0.012).
  
  
  
  Although the study has a number of limitations the CMDC appears to be an effective model of dementia care - more so than usual LTC practice. The CMDC requires further evaluation with participants from a diverse range of LTC facilities and stages of cognitive impairment.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery,Centre for Health Practice Innovation,Menzies Health Institute Queensland,Griffith University,Nathan,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Moyle
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing,University of Calgary,Calgary,Canada.
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Venturato
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery,Centre for Health Practice Innovation,NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Nursing,Menzies Health Institute Queensland,Griffith University,Nathan,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Practice Innovation,Menzies Health Institute Queensland,Griffith University,Nathan,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murfield
authors.affiliation: Executive,Pro Vice Chancellor (Health),Griffith University,Gold Coast Campus,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.affiliation: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Policy,Ethics and Life Sciences (PEALS) Research Centre,Newcastle University,Newcastle-Upon-Tyne,UK.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Practice Innovation,Menzies Health Institute Queensland,Griffith University,Nathan,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017146:Models, Organizational; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: dementia; long-term care; nursing care management; nursing models; quality of life; quantitative evaluation; work satisfaction