Recommendations for staff education and training for older people with mental illness in long-term aged care

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackground:This paper was written as a result of the International Psychogeriatric Association Task Force on Mental Health Services in Long-Term Care. The appraisal presented here aims to (1) identify the best available evidence that underpins best practice for geriatric mental health education and training of staff working in long-term care, and (2) summarize the appraisal of the literature to provide recommendations for practice.Methods:An initial search of databases found 138 papers related to the search strategy. Selected papers were summarized and compared against set inclusion criteria. This resulted in 17 papers suitable for review.Results:The majority of papers focused on behavior skills training. A number of key factors were identified that determine the success of geriatric mental health education and training and recommendations are outlined.Conclusions:Methodological weaknesses are common and highlight the need for further replication studies using strong research designs.