Teaching Philosophy and Methods of Restorative Care to Assisted Living Owners and Staff

Abstract

To implement restorative care in assisted living facilities, staff need to understand the philosophy and learn methods to help residents maintain optimal function. In this study, the researchers developed a multimedia training program designed to teach staff how to encourage residents to increase their participation in dressing themselves. Researchers conducted a pilot test to measure the short-term effects of the training on 40 staff from two states. Program effects were measured by completing a survey developed by the researchers. Pretest scores were significantly related to gender (women as a group had higher scores than men). Results indicated significant gains in knowledge at posttest. In addition, 93% of participants described positive changes related to restorative care that they planned to make at their facility as a result of the training.

Acknowledgments

The authors want to acknowledge the contributions of Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN in the development of the restorative care curriculum and materials described in this paper. The authors also thank the Virginia Department of Social Services and the Office of Health Care Quality, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for help in recruiting participants for the pilot test study.

This paper was prepared pursuant to the National Institute on Aging Grant Number R43 AG028194. The statements and conclusions herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the sponsoring agency.