Evaluating Effectiveness of Abilities Care Experts Training

Occupational therapists strive to provide care focusing on client’s abilities to encourage active engagement in meaningful activities. The Abilities Care Approach® (ACA) provides caregivers with standardized guidelines for creating individualized care based on the patient’s stage of dementia, level of cognition, and their occupational profile, including life habits, roles, and routines. ACA in long-term care facilities is based on Allen’s Cognitive Levels and Cognitive Disabilities Framework. The Abilities Care Experts® (ACE) training program was developed by an occupational therapist to provide certified nursing assistants (CNA) caregivers with ACA training to promote functional engagement for individuals with dementia. However, the ACE has not yet been evaluated using a rigorous research design. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the ACE program on the CNA participants by measuring several key components of the training program: a) knowledge of dementia and care approaches,b) attitudes towards dementia, c) care efficacy, and d) job satisfaction. All study participants will be CNAs currently employed at a dementia care SNF facility. The researchers will utilize cross sectional, quasi-experimental design examining the following CNA characteristics: 1) knowledge of dementia and dementia care, 2) attitude towards dementia, 3) satisfaction of care, and 4) efficacy of care. The study will include two groups: 1) an experimental group consisting of CNAs who have received ACE training, 2) a control group of CNAs who have not received ACE training. Due to the cross-sectional study design, research team will conduct a t-test to find differences within the groups based on the four outcome measures. Furthermore, the statistical analysis will allow the researchers to better assess the relationship between the chosen outcomes and ACE® training