A Controlled Evaluation of a Training Course for Staff Who Work with People with Dementia

Abstract

This controlled intervention was a pilot study that examined the impact of a brief training programme on N= 40 care-workers. The six-week course (one hour per week) produced significant changes in the staff’s attitude and knowledge base; no change was evident for their coping style. In accounting for the results, this article presents a qualitative analysis of the process features underpinning the improvements. The training employed an integrative approach, combining cognitive behavioural and experiential learning methods.