Feasibility of Implementing Dementia Collaborative Coaching into Routine Care in Nursing Homes

October 6, 2024

IMPACT Career Development Awardee Natalie Douglas, PhD, CCC‐SLP and team assess the feasibility of implementing Dementia Collaborative Coaching (DCC) into the routine workflows of speech-language pathologists working in nursing homes (NH).

To address the need for improved communication between certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and people living with dementia (PLWD), DCC embeds communication training directly into the daily workflow of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in the NH setting.  DCC partners SLPs with CNAs through 6 practical, hands-on, coaching sessions including the SLP, PLWD and CNA. The training focuses on real-life scenarios that CNAs encounter daily.

Findings indicate that DCC is both feasible and acceptable, with SLPs identifying eligible participants and implementing the intervention with a fidelity rate of 64%.  Study highlights indicate that the sustainability of DCC is dependent on strong leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and effective integration into existing care systems.