National Dementia Capable Care Training: A Model Implementation and Evaluation

• Published in: Intellectual and developmental disabilities Vol. 59; no. 5; pp. 422 - 435
• Main Authors: Shirai, Yumi, Bishop, Kathleen, Kushner, Melissa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 01.10.2021; American Association of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
• Subjects: Aging; Aging (Individuals); Alzheimer's disease; Alzheimers Disease; Caregiver Training; Caregivers; Community; Community Relations; Curricula; Dementia; Dentistry; Developmental Disabilities; Evidence; Expertise; Family Involvement; Funding; Gerontology; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability; Learning Modules; National Programs; Program Development; Program Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; Program Implementation; Regions; Resource Materials; Trainees; Training; United States > US; Arizona
• DOI: 10.1352/1934-9556-59.5.422
• ISSN: 1934-9491

With a growing need for specialized training for direct caregivers and support staff of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) affected by dementia, the National Task Group on Developmental Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG) developed a comprehensive evidence-informed Dementia Capable Care Training (DCCT). To overcome the challenge of the training length and cost, and to extend its dissemination, the Sonoran Center developed a shorter version of the NTG-DCCT while retaining its core components, and implemented it in seven cities in the U. S. Southwest (N = 368). The pre- and post-training evaluation (n =260) demonstrated that the short version of the NTG-DCCT is effective in significantly improving participants' knowledge and/or confidence in dementia capable care. The follow-up semi-structured interviews of participants (n = 7) provide some insights.