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Hale L1, Kayes N2, Norris P3, Jenkins M3, Mayland B3, Buttery Y3, Czuba K2, Butler M4, Holland M4, Ngocha-Chaderopa E5, McKenzie-Green B2, Sezier A2
1University of Otago, School of Physiotherapy, Dunedin, New Zealand, 2AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand, 3University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 4Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, New Zealand, 5Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Rotorua, New Zealand
Background: Worldwide in 2050, 131.5 million people are predicted to live with dementia. Although physiotherapists are key health professionals in reducing cognitive decline and secondary complications and optimising ability and participation, paid support workers are critical to supporting elders with dementia to access and engage in health services and interventions. In our previous research one support worker responded, when asked about health professionals: “They look at us as if we're just cleaners, they come in, like I've got the uniform, I've got the big badge and I can do this, and oh you've got the vacuum or the duster in your hand”. Felt worth is a fundamental gauge of respect from others. Support work is often considered hidden, unskilled work, but should be described as “base of activity upon which much else must rest.” To this end, physiotherapy interventions to assist elders with dementia rely on the “base worker” (i.e. support worker) to enable successful outcome. Optimal engagement requires enabling felt worth of support workers but what does this mean practically?
Purpose: Our study's purpose was to explore how support workers working in aged dementia care can be valued and to identify strategies to assist physiotherapists to work collaboratively with support workers to provide quality care and support for patients.
Methods: Guided by qualitative methodology, we used face-to-face semi-structured interviews to collect data from 16 support workers (12 women, aged 20-60 years) working with elders with dementia. We used modified grounded theory to analyse data and Strauss and Corbin's paradigm model to guide theory development. Findings were verified via formal presentation to participants and by three non-participant support workers.
Results: Ten participants worked in residential age care facilitates and six in home-based care. Themes arising from that which enabled support workers to feel valued were Feeling connected, trusted, and appreciated, Receiving support, and Having a voice. Support workers felt disenfranchised if there were a Lack of consideration for working conditions, understanding from managers, appreciation, a voice, and management staff accessibility. Underpinning all was the importance of interpersonal relationships. These themes were nuanced by the context of setting (residential or home-based). Themes and their connections were developed into a framework to guide those working alongside support workers to value and respect the skills they bring to person centred care. Identified strategies included increasing understanding and appreciation of skills, attributes and of available time, reducing isolation, and building relationships.
Conclusion(s): Physiotherapists play a crucial role in dementia management but in doing so they need to value and respect support workers. Ensuring patient interactions involve support workers, requesting and respecting what they can contribute, and understanding and appreciating the work they do, can only enhance patient care and outcome. Future research should investigate further the nexus of the physiotherapy - support worker therapeutic alliance on patient outcome.
Implications: This presentation will focus on identified strategies that physiotherapists can use to value support workers and thus enhance person-centred care and outcome for those living with dementia.
Keywords: Dementia, person centred care, support workers
Funding acknowledgements: This study was funded by Brain Research New Zealand.
Purpose: Our study's purpose was to explore how support workers working in aged dementia care can be valued and to identify strategies to assist physiotherapists to work collaboratively with support workers to provide quality care and support for patients.
Methods: Guided by qualitative methodology, we used face-to-face semi-structured interviews to collect data from 16 support workers (12 women, aged 20-60 years) working with elders with dementia. We used modified grounded theory to analyse data and Strauss and Corbin's paradigm model to guide theory development. Findings were verified via formal presentation to participants and by three non-participant support workers.
Results: Ten participants worked in residential age care facilitates and six in home-based care. Themes arising from that which enabled support workers to feel valued were Feeling connected, trusted, and appreciated, Receiving support, and Having a voice. Support workers felt disenfranchised if there were a Lack of consideration for working conditions, understanding from managers, appreciation, a voice, and management staff accessibility. Underpinning all was the importance of interpersonal relationships. These themes were nuanced by the context of setting (residential or home-based). Themes and their connections were developed into a framework to guide those working alongside support workers to value and respect the skills they bring to person centred care. Identified strategies included increasing understanding and appreciation of skills, attributes and of available time, reducing isolation, and building relationships.
Conclusion(s): Physiotherapists play a crucial role in dementia management but in doing so they need to value and respect support workers. Ensuring patient interactions involve support workers, requesting and respecting what they can contribute, and understanding and appreciating the work they do, can only enhance patient care and outcome. Future research should investigate further the nexus of the physiotherapy - support worker therapeutic alliance on patient outcome.
Implications: This presentation will focus on identified strategies that physiotherapists can use to value support workers and thus enhance person-centred care and outcome for those living with dementia.
Keywords: Dementia, person centred care, support workers
Funding acknowledgements: This study was funded by Brain Research New Zealand.
Topic: Older people; Professional practice: other
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: University of otago
Ethics committee: University of Otago Human Ethics Committee Ethical
Ethics number: 16/029
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
