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Hunter S1, Armstrong J2, Silva M2, Laino D2, Nicholson W2, Divine A1
1University of Western Ontario, Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, London, Canada, 2University of Western Ontario, Physical Therapy, London, Canada
Background: The demographic shift of the ageing population will be accompanied by a growing number of people with dementia. Unfortunately, health care professionals feel uncomfortable or inadequately prepared to work with people with dementia. These attitudes can result in low clinician expectations of benefit from participation in rehabilitation and substandard patient outcomes. Physiotherapists play an integral role in rehabilitation interventions to remediate balance, gait and mobility problems that are common and progressive in dementia. Research supports that people with dementia can make gains in balance, gait and strength with rehabilitation treatment. However, there is limited research on the attitudes of physiotherapists to working with this patient population.
Purpose: To assess how personal, educational and clinical experiences influence physiotherapists' attitudes towards working with clients who have dementia.
Methods: A cross-sectional online questionnaire was emailed to registered physiotherapists working in Canada who were graduates of the entry-level to practice Masters of Physical Therapy program at the School of Physical Therapy, University of Western Ontario (n=791). Utilizing established scales and author-created questions, data were collected on academic and professional training on dementia, dementia knowledge, confidence in working with people with dementia, beliefs about dementia symptoms that may interfere with care, clinical and personal experiences, and attitudes on working with people with dementia. Categorical responses were summarized using frequencies and percentages and continuous variables were summarized with averages and standard deviations.
Results: Survey response was n=231(35.5%). Participants demonstrated excellent knowledge on dementia. However, only 36.8% reported they received specific training or education related to dementia and/or working with people with dementia after graduation from their physiotherapy degree program. Personal interactions with individuals with dementia were predominately positive (67.4%) and the majority believed that this population should have access to rehabilitation services (70.4%). However, many physiotherapists demonstrated a lack of confidence when working with clients who have dementia and many felt they do not have strategies to successfully deal with the cognitive (42.5%) or behavioral (58.3%) symptoms of the disease which impacts care delivery.
Conclusion(s): Understanding of dementia was high, respondents lacked confidence and strategies to deal with the cognitive and behavioural symptoms of dementia that can impact rehabilitation. This survey has provided valuable information on educational needs and the opportunity to develop courses on treatment strategies for physiotherapists in all clinical practice areas who will deliver care to people with dementia.
Implications: This study highlights the need for increased educational content within physiotherapy student training and post-gradate courses. Increased education and knowledge about the current evidence for rehabilitation within this population that includes strategies to manage symptoms of the disease may allow physiotherapists to feel more confident, will facilitate positive attitudes and result in the delivery of more effective treatment to clients with dementia across the spectrum of disease severity to improve their quality of life.
Keywords: Attitudes, physiotherapy, Alzheimer's disease
Funding acknowledgements: None to report.
Purpose: To assess how personal, educational and clinical experiences influence physiotherapists' attitudes towards working with clients who have dementia.
Methods: A cross-sectional online questionnaire was emailed to registered physiotherapists working in Canada who were graduates of the entry-level to practice Masters of Physical Therapy program at the School of Physical Therapy, University of Western Ontario (n=791). Utilizing established scales and author-created questions, data were collected on academic and professional training on dementia, dementia knowledge, confidence in working with people with dementia, beliefs about dementia symptoms that may interfere with care, clinical and personal experiences, and attitudes on working with people with dementia. Categorical responses were summarized using frequencies and percentages and continuous variables were summarized with averages and standard deviations.
Results: Survey response was n=231(35.5%). Participants demonstrated excellent knowledge on dementia. However, only 36.8% reported they received specific training or education related to dementia and/or working with people with dementia after graduation from their physiotherapy degree program. Personal interactions with individuals with dementia were predominately positive (67.4%) and the majority believed that this population should have access to rehabilitation services (70.4%). However, many physiotherapists demonstrated a lack of confidence when working with clients who have dementia and many felt they do not have strategies to successfully deal with the cognitive (42.5%) or behavioral (58.3%) symptoms of the disease which impacts care delivery.
Conclusion(s): Understanding of dementia was high, respondents lacked confidence and strategies to deal with the cognitive and behavioural symptoms of dementia that can impact rehabilitation. This survey has provided valuable information on educational needs and the opportunity to develop courses on treatment strategies for physiotherapists in all clinical practice areas who will deliver care to people with dementia.
Implications: This study highlights the need for increased educational content within physiotherapy student training and post-gradate courses. Increased education and knowledge about the current evidence for rehabilitation within this population that includes strategies to manage symptoms of the disease may allow physiotherapists to feel more confident, will facilitate positive attitudes and result in the delivery of more effective treatment to clients with dementia across the spectrum of disease severity to improve their quality of life.
Keywords: Attitudes, physiotherapy, Alzheimer's disease
Funding acknowledgements: None to report.
Topic: Older people
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: University of Western Ontario
Ethics committee: Health Sciences Research Ethics Boards
Ethics number: 110727
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
