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Equipping staff to support people with an intellectual disability and dementia in care home settings

Universities of Northumbria and Edinburgh, UK, h.wilkinson{at}ed.ac.uk

Diana Kerr

Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, University of Edinburgh, UK, d.kerr{at}ed.ac.uk

Colm Cunningham

Dementia Services Development Centre, University of Stirling, UK, colm.cunningham{at}stir.ac.uk

The knowledge, experiences and skills of direct care staff working in care home settings are essential in ensuring a good quality of life and care for a person with an intellectual disability (ID) who develops dementia. Drawing on the findings of a wider study, the issues of training, support and the wider needs of staff when trying to support a resident who develops dementia are explored, specifically as relating to the role played by staff and the need to determine their experiences and related training needs. Following an introduction to the policy and practice context for working with people with an ID and dementia, and a brief description of the research method, the authors discuss the attitudes and practices of staff; supportive changes at an organizational level; and the knowledge and training needs of staff and specific gaps in knowledge. The authors argue that, within the policy and practice context of aiming to support residents to ‘age in place’, support for staff is a crucial aspect of ensuring that such an approach is effective and provides a coordinated approach to planning, resourcing and support.

Key Words: care home • organizational support • practice • training

Dementia, Vol. 4, No. 3, 387-400 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1471301205055029


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