Impact of enriched dementia care planning on individualized care approaches and psychological well-being of residents

Abstract

Introduction: The enriched dementia care-planning program seeks to enhance the quality of life for individuals with dementia by addressing their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. This study aims to assess the impact of enriched dementia care planning on caregivers’ individualized care approaches and the psychological well-being of residents. Materials and method: A pretest and posttest cross-sectional one-group study including caregivers and persons with dementia. Formal caregivers (n=32) and individuals with dementia (n=17) were recruited from two nursing homes. Pretest and posttest measurements were conducted using distinct data collection tools for both caregivers and individuals with dementia. The caregivers were exposed to life story booklets, training modules, “about me” profiles, and individualized care tips and reminders over an eight-week period. Results: Pre-test and post-test analysis indicated that staff perceptions of persons with dementia were more positive and communication between staff and residents improved at post-test (8.52±2.04) compared with the pre-test (7.10±1.71) (p<0.05). However, there was no significant change in residents’ psychological well-being at the post-test (p>0.05). Conclusion: The implementation of enriched care planning has the potential to empower caregivers to engage with residents and deliver individualized care with a more positive attitude. Enhancing communication between staff and residents is recognized as a pivotal factor with substantial potential for advancing individualized care initiatives in nursing homes. © 2023, Turkish Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved.