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'An investigation of Dependency levels of Ageing persons with ID: implications from a Care & Resource Perspective'

Posted March 3rd, 2009 by Elaine
in
Researcher: 
Professor Mary McCarron
Budget: 
€23,000
Funding source: 
Peamount Hospital
Lead Researchers: Prof M McCarron (PI); P McCallion, S Fleming, T Burke
 
  • Aim: To develop recommendations to improve care and support staff in units of Peamount Hospital effected by symptoms of dementia.
  • Background: Staff and administration at Peamount Hospital recognised that the changing needs of clients in two of the units in their Intellectual Disabilities Service challenged their existing programming and staffing models. Of particular concern were the implications of increasing age related infirmity for most and of symptoms of dementia for a number of clients. Yet exactly how programming and staffing should change was not clear.
  • Method: Data was gathered related to all residents of the two units (n=21), from 11 randomly selected staff and from 5 randomly selected families.
  • A series of quantitative measures and qualitative semi-structured interviews were implemented.
  • Results: Analysis revealed that high quality care is being provided by dedicated staff to clients with increasingly complex needs. Families recognise and appreciate the value of this care. The care is physically demanding, and places stress on staff but their dedication to the clients, and the supervisory and training support they receive appears protective against job burnout. However, serious concerns were noted in the areas of multi-disciplinary team support, opportunities for participation in the community and support of end of life care. The physical layout of the two units and the client composition pose additional concerns.
  • Conclusion: The most pressing concern of all was that Peamount serves an increasingly ageing population and a population at high risk for symptoms of dementia, suggesting that formal planning is needed at both the individual and agency wide levels for how services, staffing, training and policies need to change for the future.

 

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