Quality of life for people with dementia living in residential and nursing home care substantially improved after staff took part in a digital training programme that was specially adapted to
Led by the University of Exeter and King’s College London with funding from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), iWHELD is designed to support carers and residents by training staff in delivering personalised care, which puts residents at the heart of decision-making.
It was specially adapted during the pandemic, so that it could be delivered remotely, with support available for care home staff, even in the most challenging circumstances for care homes.
Katie Ives, manager of Stonebow House care home in Worcestershire, took part in the iWHELD training alongside her management team.
She said: “We all really enjoyed it, and it’s made a huge difference to some of our residents.
“As part of the training around personalised care, we’ve realised we need to change our approaches and even our demeanours to communicate effectively with residents – so if someone is quite reserved, being very bubbly is less effective and relatable to that person.
“We’ve always tailored our approach to residents, but now we offer a wider variety of activities and clubs to suit people’s interests in their lives, and we’re seeing some residents spend more time in communal areas and less time in their rooms as a result.”
Professor Clive Ballard, of the University of Exeter Medical School is senior author on the paper.
He said: “People with dementia living in residential and nursing home care are among the most vulnerable in society, and care homes and their staff perform an extremely challenging role.
“iWHELD is an effective, practical, and affordable programme that can enable staff to improve the lives of people with dementia and can be delivered nationally and internationally – even amidst a pandemic.”
