Training Assisted Living Staff to Provide Palliative Care for Residents with Dementia A 4-Week Educational Program

What this Trial Is About

This research investigates a palliative care education program designed for dementia care providers working in assisted living communities. It focuses on improving the quality of care for residents with dementia by training licensed nurses, administrators, and dementia care coordinators. The trial involves 30 assisted living sites and includes residents, staff, and family members, with various follow-ups to assess the impact of the training on dementia care outcomes. The study features a four-week educational intervention offering 1.5-hour sessions once a week, totaling six hours. Hospice nurses or social workers trained as facilitators provide the program to staff in the treatment group. A wait-listed control group will receive the training after study completion. The interventionists undergo a preparatory four-hour workshop before delivering the sessions to ensure consistency across sites. Participants are involved through baseline and follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months for residents, baseline and 6-month follow-ups for family members, and multiple timepoints for staff. Data collection includes documentation of advance care planning discussions and hospice use. The study also gathers facility information from administrators to evaluate the programs effect on dementia care quality over five years.

Palliative Care Education in Assisted Living for Dementia Care Providers (PCEAL-DCP)