Table 3. Characteristics of Included Peer-reviewed Studies

(1)

Author PT

Participants/

Roles

Setting/

Country

Study Design Publication Type

Study Aim Summary/Key Findings

Burgon et al⁴⁴

PT clinicians (n=5)

Community- based falls and memory assessment services/U.K.

Qualitative Research article in peer- reviewed journal

To understand the services in which the healthcare

professionals worked, explore their perspectives and

experiences of working with, and delivering interventions to, people with dementia living in the community, and gather recommendations for the design and delivery of effective and acceptable falls

Three main themes were identified: "challenges posed by dementia",

"adaptations to make falls prevention appropriate for people with dementia" and

"organisational barriers".

(2)

prevention techniques in this patient group.

Foley et al⁴⁵

PT clinicians (n=32)

Primary and secondary care settings/

Republic of Ireland

To explore PTs’ experiences of dementia care and to identify their dementia care

educational needs

PTs receive limited structured dementia education despite frequently caring for patients with dementia.

Team-based approaches involving other healthcare professionals and family members facilitate enhanced care while the physical environment, poor carry-over, lack of a formal

(3)

diagnosis and behavioral/

psychological symptoms are all barriers to optimal physical therapy care.

Hall et al⁴⁶

PT clinicians (n=8), PTA clinicians (n=3)

Community rehabilitation/

U.K.

To explore the reasons why people were not being referred for ongoing physical therapy as well as exploring the pressures and difficulties that community-based PTs face treating this population

Three main themes emerged from the data exploring reasons for failure to refer patients for

ongoing physical therapy, challenges in treating this population in the

community and the effects of a lack of

knowledge and education.

(4)

Hall et al²⁶

Physical and mental health settings/U.K.

To explore the experiences of a range of PTs treating people with dementia who fracture their hip, any difficulties they face, and how they may overcome these.

Significant challenges were reported by PTs, leading to the need to “think outside the box” to develop management strategies for this population. The final theme draws on positive experiences of treating this population and the

importance of appreciation of the concept of

“rehabilitation potential”.

Hunter et al²⁷

PT students, entry-level Master's degree (n=55)

Educational – Didactic and Clinical/Canada

Cross -sectional study

Research article in peer- reviewed journal

1) To assess what PT students think about working with people with dementia, 2) to describe personal, educational and clinical experiences of PT

The majority of students had at least one clinical placement working with people with dementia.

Disease-based knowledge

(5)

students towards people with dementia, and 3) to assess PT students’ perceptions about the dementia content in their course on reflection of their clinical placements.

was strong, yet just over half felt their academic training was sufficient to effectively work with people with dementia. The findings support the need for more training,

particularly in

communication strategies, to support students to effectively work with PwD upon graduation.

Hunter et al³⁹

Not reported/

Canada

To assess dementia education, both clinical and personal experience, confidence, and overall attitudes among PTs

Knowledge of dementia was high, but the majority of respondents lacked confidence working with this population and felt they

(6)

toward working with clients who have dementia

did not have the skills to manage behavioral or cognitive symptoms association with dementia.

Education was significantly related to positive attitudes to working with people with dementia.

Jones⁴⁰ PT clinicians (n=not reported)

Acute care hospital/

Republic of Ireland

Poster presentation abstract published in peer-

reviewed journal

To develop and deliver physical therapy-specific dementia education to the inpatient physical therapy department in Connolly Hospital

100% of participants reported that

undergraduate training did not sufficiently prepare them to work with people with dementia. 78% of participants reported that ongoing professional development in the area of

(7)

dementia would be beneficial. Participants of this educational program demonstrated high

motivation to advance their knowledge and skills in the area of person-centered dementia care.

Lorio et al²⁸

PT students, entry-level doctorate degree (n=31)

Educational – Didactic/U.S.

Quasi-

experimental study

To assess the effectiveness of a 12-hour multimodal

experiential learning dementia module in an entry-level physical therapy program

The results of this study showed statistically

significant improvements in overall confidence and knowledge of treating patients with dementia. The study finds the addition of experiential learning to traditional didactic

(8)

coursework improves students’ reported

confidence in working with patients with dementia and understanding the

challenges associated with treating patients with dementia.

McCarroll et al⁴⁷

PT clinicians (n=6)

Long-term care/

U.K.

To explore perceptions of the role of domiciliary PTs who treat residents with dementia in nursing homes from the viewpoint of the main

referrers to and the providers of domiciliary physical therapy operating within

Participants described a multifaceted but unclear role where reasons for referral to physical therapy were multiple and complex;

challenges to the role such as the nursing home setting, dementia, the nature of in- reach physical therapy,

(9)

multidisciplinary allied health professional teams

unclear referrals and measurement issues; and enablers of the role - collaborative working and positive previous

experiences of participants who are referrers.

Miles et al⁴¹

Home health/

U.S.

to explore home care PTs’

beliefs and behaviors regarding dementia and to examine how frequently cognitive screening is being done

Significant differences were found between PTs with the highest doctoral degrees and those with master’s or bachelor’s degree regarding whether they were qualified to screen for cognitive deficits; PTs with the highest degrees also attended continuing

(10)

education for dementia training more than those with less formal education;

Eighty-seven percent indicated that PTs are qualified to screen, but only 53% said that they possess the necessary skills.

Schwarz et al⁴²

PT students, entry-level doctoral degree (n=not reported)

Educational – Didactic/U.S.

Quasi-

experimental study

Peer- reviewed poster presentation abstract published on website

To determine the impact of the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) experiential learning activity (ELA) on student attitudes towards individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Although clinically relevant thresholds have not been established for the DAS, this study indicated that the VDT ELA significantly improved student attitudes towards individuals with ADRD as the DAS “total”

score (p = <.001) and

(11)

“knowledge” subscale score (p=<.001) improved by one full quartile and the DAS

“social comfort” subscale score (p = <.001) improved by more than one standard deviation.

Staples et al²⁹

PT clinicians (n=51), PTA clinicians (n=44)

Long-term care/

U.S.

Cross-sectional study

To examine how education may influence physical therapy providers’ beliefs and attitudes and how these beliefs and attitudes may negatively impact the provision of care

PTs and PTAs practicing in nursing homes spend considerable time (44.0%) working with patients who have a diagnosis of

dementia. As patients with dementia disorders declined cognitively, attitudes of PTs/PTAs became increasingly

(12)

negative, and respondents feel that education, training, and resources are insufficient to maximize outcomes in the later stages of the disease.

Wood⁴³ PT students, entry-level Bachelor's degree, (n=

55)

Educational – Didactic/U.K.

Quasi-

experimental study

To improve the preparedness of students of healthcare by developing an educational intervention to improve their knowledge of dementia and confidence in working with PWD.

A combination of online learning, class-based sessions and a

communication workshop improved students’

knowledge of dementia. It appears that these sessions can also improve students’

confidence for working with PwD, which is enhanced further by real world

(13)

interactions. Students increased their knowledge and confidence scores after the introductory didactic intervention. Confidence scores also increased significantly after

experiential component.