Background: The number of people with dementia is increasing globally. While many prefer to stay at home, others need to be cared for in permanent residential care. The ongoing shortage of aged care staff and consequent recruitment by high-income countries contribute to increased workload and compromised quality of care.

Objective: To explore the caregiving experiences of care staff of older people with dementia from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds living in residential aged care, and to explain the causative mechanisms of these experiences.

Methods: This qualitative case study was participated by fifteen participants (registered nurses, assistant nurses and other allied health professionals) from two residential care facilities in Western Sydney, Australia. Data was collected through semi-structured interview, participant observation, and a survey. Thematic analysis was utilised to identify and understand caregiving experiences and their underlying causative mechanisms.

Results: Although caregiving was difficult and challenging, care staff could derive job satisfaction, improve care, make connections, and value individuality. Causative mechanisms influencing staff experiences include their capacity to acquire education and training, maintain professional identity, demonstrate resilience, and value personhood. The activation of these mechanisms is contingent on organisational support, funding allocation, and national aged care policies and standards.

Conclusion: In designing support for care staff, consideration for ongoing education and training, improving work conditions and advocating for policy changes that support sustainable workforce should be explored to enhance caregiving experience.

Authors:
Christy Cabote, Western Sydney University, Australia
Yenna Salamonson, University of Wollongong, Australia
Suza Trajkovski, Western Sydney University, Australia
Lucie Ramjan, Western Sydney University, Australia
Jed Montayre, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Christy is currently an Associate Lecturer at Western Sydney University in Australia. This current project is an exploration of caregiving experiences among older people with dementia and is part of her PhD undertaking.

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