title: Empowering the dementia care workforce to manage behavioral symptoms of dementia: Development and training outcomes from the VOICE Dementia Care Program.
abstract: Nonpharmacological approaches for managing behavioral symptoms of dementia remain widely underutilized, due in part to near-universal training needs reported by dementia caregivers in recent research. This article examines the development, core components, and initial outcomes of an evidence-informed, competency-based training program in the prevention and management of behavioral symptoms of dementia among care managers and nurses within an aging services system. The Vital Outcomes Inspired by Caregiver Engagement (VOICE) Dementia Care Training Program was developed based on identification of state-of-the-art approaches to managing behaviors through expert review of the literature and structured needs assessment. Results reveal robust improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy among training participants, with largest effect sizes (d = 1.8) on domains of knowledge and self-efficacy to manage behaviors. Findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of training in improving the abilities and confidence of aging services providers in dementia care and, specifically, in the nonpharmacological management of dementia-related behaviors.
authors.affiliation: a Education Development Center, Inc ., Waltham , Massachusetts , USA.|b School of Nursing, Bouvé College of Health Sciences , Northeastern University , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Bradley E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Karlin
authors.affiliation: c Center for Clinical Excellence , Seniorlink, Inc ., Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: a Education Development Center, Inc ., Waltham , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dash
mesh_terms: D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004493:Education; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D020377:Self Efficacy
keywords: Aging services; caregivers; challenging behaviors; dementia; evidence-based practice; training and development