Development of a long-term care self-efficacy improvement programme for families living with people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment

Abstract

Associate Professor Satomi Maruo, Kobe City College of Nursing, Japan, is developing programmes to help families care for their elderly relatives, particularly those with dementia. Her current programme effectively integrates four key sources of self efficacy. A key part of the programme is improving carers' knowledge bases in order to improve their ability to look after their relatives and enhancing self-efficacy, including 'verbal persuasion' and 'emotional arousal'. Another important element of this work is providing a space for carers to discuss their experiences and understand that they are not alone; otherwise known as 'vicarious experience'. In addition, through the programme, Maruo provides carers with examples of hypothetical situations they might encounter with their relatives and works through these with them, instilling new ideas and perspectives and leading to the 'achievement of executive action'. Self-efficacy is a key theme of this work and, in the context of dementia care, it implies mastery of the skills needed by carers to care for their relatives and observe subsequent improvements in cognitive state. This involves anticipating and adapting to changing circumstances, with symptoms of dementia changing regularly over time.