Implementing person-centered dementia care practices using a care community coaching intervention

Background and Objectives: As person-centeredness is key to quality dementia care, the Care Community Coaching Program was created to implement the 2018 Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations (DCPR) in long-term care communities. This article describes the implementation and preliminary efficacy of a coaching intervention on adoption of the DCPR for person-centered care (PCC) and workforce practices, and current DCPR implementation in care communities. Research Design and Methods: This article uses a single group, pre- and posttest design drawing on field notes and data collected from 38 communities in a study on the impact of the coaching intervention in care communities in Ohio. Changes in the implementation of the DCPR for PCC were measured using a paired t test; changes in the DCPR for workforce practices were measured using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Additional post hoc descriptive statistics describe current implementation of the DCPR. Results: Participating communities saw statistically significant improvements related to the implementation of all but one DCPR for PCC and none related to workforce practices. Pre-intervention implementation rates for the DCPR for PCC and for workforce practices were 61.8% (n = 35 communities), and 78.3% (n = 10 communities), respectively. Exemplar practice changes, and facilitators and barriers to change are additionally described. Discussion and Implications: The Care Community Coaching Program can be effectively implemented in care communities and shows preliminary efficacy in increasing the adoption of the DCPR for PCC. Areas for future research on the impact of this intervention, and implications for improving the person-centeredness of dementia care in care communities, are identified and discussed. Clinical trial registration number: NCT06249204.