Promoting Independence Through quality dementia Care at Home (PITCH): a research protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial

Trials

Anne Fairhall¹  Margaret Winbolt²  Erica Wise³  Steven Savvas³  Frances Batchelor³  Fenny Muliadi³  Esther Tan³  Jay Stiles³  Anita Panayiotou³  Nadia Chau³  Colleen Doyle³  Meg Polacsek⁴  Briony Dow⁵  Sue Malta⁵  David Ames⁵  Anita M. Y. Goh⁶  Tanara Vieira Sousa⁷  Phillip Clarke⁷  Samuel Scherer⁷  Samantha M. Loi⁸  Lee-Fay Low⁹  Jason Burton^1,10 

[1] Consumer advocate, Melbourne, VIC, Australia;LaTrobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia;The National Ageing Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia;The National Ageing Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia;Benetas, Melbourne, VIC, Australia;The National Ageing Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia;The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia;The National Ageing Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia;The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia;Neuropsychiatry, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia;The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia;The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia;Neuropsychiatry, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia;University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia;dementia360, Perth, WA, Australia;

关键词: Home care;    Aged care;    Dementia;    Home care worker;    HCW;    Aged care staff;    Training;    Education;    Cluster randomised controlled trial;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13063-021-05906-1

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundHome care service providers are increasingly supporting clients living with dementia. Targeted and comprehensive dementia-specific training for home care staff is necessary to meet this need. This study evaluates a training programme delivered to care staff (paid personal carers) of clients living with dementia at home.MethodsThis study is a pragmatic stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial (SW-CRT). Home care workers (HCWs) from seven home care service providers are grouped into 18 geographical clusters. Clusters are randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. The intervention group receives 7 h of a dementia education and upskilling programme (Promoting Independence Through quality dementia Care at Home [PITCH]) after baseline measures. The control group receives PITCH training 6 months after baseline measures. This approach will ensure that all participants are offered the program. Home care clients living with dementia are also invited to participate, as well as their family carers. The primary outcome measure is HCWs’ sense of competence in dementia care provision.DiscussionUpskilling home care staff is needed to support the increasing numbers of people living with dementia who choose to remain at home. This study uses a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial to evaluate a training programme (PITCH) for dementia care that is delivered to front-line HCWs.Trial registrationanzctr.org.au; ACTRN12619000251123. Registered on 20 February 2019.

【 授权许可】

CC BY