Heart to Heart SNF Dementia Volunteer Training Program
Start Date
4-22-2020 12:00 AM
End Date
4-22-2020 12:00 AM
Major Field of Study
Occupational Therapy
Student Type
Graduate
Faculty Mentor(s)
Gina Tucker-Roghi, OTD, OTR/L
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Dementia is an increasing public health concern impacting much of the worldwide population with behavioral changes and disturbances, need for around-the-clock-care in advanced stages, significant care costs, and an unpredictable course of progression. As the prevalence increases, many individuals with dementia (IwD) are admitted to skilled nursing facilities (SNF). After admittance, the rate of caregiver visits declines, increasing the risk of social isolation for IwD. Heart to Heart, our dementia volunteer training program, aims to decrease social isolation by providing opportunities for volunteers to engage in social occupations, or meaningful activities, with IwD. Additionally, comprehensive volunteer training in the dementia stages, effective communication strategies, and appropriate activities for IwD will increase visit quality, satisfaction, and frequency. The project will be implemented at Summerfield Healthcare Center, a skilled nursing facility, in Santa Rosa. The team will promote knowledge and provide tools by creating training modules and volunteer resources to increase visitor confidence and comfortability in facilitating meaningful activities for IwD. The team will recruit and train the first group of high school volunteers. Then, the team will educate the facility’s activities director through the Train the Trainer model and provide the facility with replicable materials to continue the program for future volunteers. Program effectiveness will be determined by changes in visitation quality and quantity, measured through volunteer pre- and post-training survey results and visitation records. Improved volunteer knowledge of dementia, perception of quality of visits, frequency, and duration will indicate the success of the project.
Heart to Heart SNF Dementia Volunteer Training Program
Dementia is an increasing public health concern impacting much of the worldwide population with behavioral changes and disturbances, need for around-the-clock-care in advanced stages, significant care costs, and an unpredictable course of progression. As the prevalence increases, many individuals with dementia (IwD) are admitted to skilled nursing facilities (SNF). After admittance, the rate of caregiver visits declines, increasing the risk of social isolation for IwD. Heart to Heart, our dementia volunteer training program, aims to decrease social isolation by providing opportunities for volunteers to engage in social occupations, or meaningful activities, with IwD. Additionally, comprehensive volunteer training in the dementia stages, effective communication strategies, and appropriate activities for IwD will increase visit quality, satisfaction, and frequency. The project will be implemented at Summerfield Healthcare Center, a skilled nursing facility, in Santa Rosa. The team will promote knowledge and provide tools by creating training modules and volunteer resources to increase visitor confidence and comfortability in facilitating meaningful activities for IwD. The team will recruit and train the first group of high school volunteers. Then, the team will educate the facility’s activities director through the Train the Trainer model and provide the facility with replicable materials to continue the program for future volunteers. Program effectiveness will be determined by changes in visitation quality and quantity, measured through volunteer pre- and post-training survey results and visitation records. Improved volunteer knowledge of dementia, perception of quality of visits, frequency, and duration will indicate the success of the project.
Comments
This presentation was accepted for the Scholarly and Creative Works Conference at Dominican University of California. The Conference was canceled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic