title: Support workers as agents for health behavior change: An Australian study of the perceptions of clients with complex needs, support workers, and care coordinators.
abstract: An expanding aging population has placed increased demands on health care resources in many countries. Enhancing community aged care support workers' role to support greater client self-management and reablement is therefore timely. This article presents perceptions of the impact of an Australian practice change initiative designed to enhance knowledge, skills, and confidence of support workers to support behavior change in clients with complex health care needs. A comprehensive training program was delivered in 2013. Methods included thematic analysis of interviews with clients, focus groups with support workers and coordinators, and collection of case studies of client/support worker behavior change interactions. Client, support worker, and coordinator responses were highly positive, reporting improvement in the quality of interactions with clients, client health outcomes, care coordination, communication, and teamwork. Mental health literacy remained the biggest knowledge gap. This research showed that support workers are ideally placed to be more actively involved in motivating clients to achieve behavior change goals.
authors.affiliation: a Flinders Human Behaviour and Health Research Unit , Flinders University , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5464-8887
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lawn
authors.affiliation: b Service Planning and Primary Health , Southern Adelaide Local Health Network , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Westwood
authors.affiliation: c Office for the Ageing , SA Health , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jordans
authors.affiliation: d Demand Management and Hospital Substitution , Southern Adelaide Local Health Network , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia.
authors.forename: Julianne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012938:Social Perception; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Behavior change; care workers; community aged care; complexity; education and training; goal setting; motivation; support workers