Working at Green Care Farms and Other Innovative Small-Scale Long-Term Dementia Care Facilities Requires Different Competencies of Care Staff

Bram de Boer, Yvette Buist, Simone R. de Bruin, Ramona Backhaus and Hilde Verbeek
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Bram de Boer: Department of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Yvette Buist: Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Simone R. de Bruin: Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Ramona Backhaus: Department of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Hilde Verbeek: Department of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-11

Abstract: The culture change movement within long-term care in which radical changes in the physical, social and organizational care environments are being implemented provides opportunities for the development of innovative long-term care facilities. The aim of this study was to investigate which competencies care staff working at green care farms and other innovative types of small-scale long-term dementia care facilities require, according to care staff themselves and managers, and how these competencies were different from those of care staff working in more traditional large-scale long-term dementia care facilities. A qualitative descriptive research design was used. Interviews were conducted with care staff ( n = 19) and managers ( n = 23) across a diverse range of long-term facilities. Thematic content analysis was used. Two competencies were mainly mentioned by participants working in green care farms: (1) being able to integrate activities for residents into daily practice, and (2) being able to undertake multiple responsibilities. Two other competencies for working in long-term dementia care in general were identified: (3) having good communication skills, and (4) being able to provide medical and direct care activities. This study found unique competencies at green care farms, showing that providing care in innovative long-term care facilities requires looking further than the physical environment and the design of a care facility; it is crucial to look at the role of care staff and the competencies they require.

Keywords: long-term care; dementia; care environment; competencies; innovative design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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