Barriers and enablers to delivering optimal dementia care: Perceptions of community nurses

Researchers: Claudia Meyer, Judy Lowthian
Study population: Home and Community Support
Funding support: University of Newcastle

It is estimated that up to 70% of people with dementia live in the community, with family and voluntary carers providing most care. In Australia, there are a range of supports for carers and people living with dementia to assist them to remain living at home for as long as possible. Services such as home nursing, personal hygiene care, assistance with medication and referrals to home care support are some of these options, as offered by Bolton Clarke. Community nurses are well placed to identify issues facing people with dementia and their carer(s) and families related to activities of daily living, social engagement and achieving/maintaining good quality of life.

To deliver optimal care to people with dementia, it is essential that community nurses are aware of what their role entails, and whether optimal care in their practice is feasible. The Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with Dementia represent the first attempt to provide health care providers with comprehensive guidance regarding the identification, assessment and management of dementia.

This project aims to identify whether, and to what degree, community nurses agree with the recommendations of the guidelines and the barriers and enablers of implementing the recommendations in practice.

This project has recruited over 50 nurses to complete a survey and will resume data collection when the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.