The DIRECT Study
A study entitled: Improving quality of life of people with dementia living in residential care facilities: a randomised trial of educational interventions: The DIRECT Study was conducted. This consortium based in Western Australia is aiming to determine to what extent educating GPs and residential care staff can improve care delivery, and therefore quality of life, for people with dementia in nursing homes. Logistics have dictated that the aged care facilities involved in the study would be confined to Western Australia but Royal Freemasons GMMS has acted in an advisory role providing us with access to the methods, materials and results of this important initiative. This excellent consortium led by Professor Leon Flicker at the WA Centre for Health and Ageing is already examining opportunities for National follow up implementation studies of initiatives that have proven to be successful, in which Royal Freemasons could be more directly involved.
The need for this work stems from the fact that there are few systematic data available regarding the educational needs of residential care facility staff and GPs relating to dementia, or the sustainability of educational interventions. The first part of this study has therefore sought to determine participation in dementia education, perceived levels of current knowledge regarding dementia, perceived unmet educational needs, current barriers, facilitators and preferences for dementia education.
Early findings of this research were presented at the 8th Asia/Oceania Regional Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Beijing 2007 in a paper entitled: Can Educating Staff and General Practitioners Improve the Quality of Life of People with Dementia Living in Residential Care?, jointly authored by:L Flicker, B Horner, S Scherer, OP Almeida, NT Lautenschlager, and C Beer.
Key publication related to dementia and behaviour
Nay R, Scherer S, Pitcher A, Koch S, Browning M, Flicker L, Nugent N, Ames Responding to Behaviours of Concern Among People Living in Residential Aged Care. Report of La Trobe University Gerontic Nursing Professorial Unit. 2003
Beer C, Horner B, Almeida O, Scherer S, Lautenschlager N, Bretland N, Flett P, Schaper F, Flicker L. Current experiences and educational preferences of general practitioners and staff caring for people with dementia living in residential facilities. BMC Geriatrics 2009.
