Implementing living room theatre activities for people with dementia on nursing home wards: a process evaluation study

Abstract

Objectives: A new communication method, the ‘Veder Method’, was implemented in the Netherlands. This method uses theatrical stimuli in combination with proven person-centred communication methods. Care staff was trained to apply the Veder Method in a ‘living room theatre activity’ for people with dementia. This study evaluates the implementation of the Veder Method on psychogeriatric nursing home wards.

Methods: Facilitators and barriers to train staff and implement the Veder Method in psychogeriatric nursing homes were identified by conducting semi-structured interviews with 12 stakeholders who were involved in the implementation, and five focus groups with 35 trained care staff. The interviews and focus groups were transcribed verbatim, and two independent researchers analysed the content of the transcripts. The Implementation Process Evaluation (IPE) Framework was used to categorize the data and the 7s-model to contextualize the qualitative findings.

Results: A structured overview of facilitators and barriers in different stages of the implementation process is presented. Positive reactions in residents and more reciprocity in caregiver-resident contact motivated trained care staff to work with the Veder Method. An action plan, executive support, the visibility of the method in the organization and a pioneer group that initiated implementation were essential for successful implementation. High work pressure for the care staff was a hindering factor.

Conclusion: Respondents experienced the added value of the Veder Method. The facilitators and barriers to implementation we identified in this study can help to implement and disseminate the successful Veder Method and other person-centred communication methods in psychogeriatric nursing homes effectively.

Keywords:

• dementia
• psychosocial intervention
• nursing homes
• care staff training
• interventions
• implementation

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all interviewees and participants in the focus groups for their cooperation in this study. We also thank Frank Tol, MSc (FT), Pieter van der Glind, MSc (PG) and Sylvia Hermanns, MSc (SH) for their excellent assistance during this study.

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports [grant number CA-358 April 2009 Experiments Transition Program in Long-term Care]; VitaValley/Noaber Foundation [grant number 20070159]; the Anna Elizabeth Foundation.