Education and skills training for care partners of hospitalised older adults: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: The care partners of hospitalised older adults often feel dissatisfied with the education and skills training provided to them, resulting in unpreparedness and poor health outcomes. Objective: This review aimed to characterise and identify gaps in the education and skills training used with the care partners of older adults in the hospital. Methods: We conducted a scoping review on the education and skills training practices used with the care partners of hospitalised older adults in the USA via sources identified in the PubMed, PsychINFO and CINAHL databases. Results: Twelve studies were included in this review. Results illustrate that nurses utilise multiple modes of delivery and frequently provide education and skills training tailored to the needs of care partners at the latter end of hospital care. The provision of education and skills training varies greatly, however, including who provides education, in what way information is conveyed, and how care partner outcomes are measured. Conclusion: This is the first scoping review to describe and synthesise the education and skills training practices used with care partners of hospitalised older adults. Findings highlight the need for education and skills training to be interprofessional, tailored to individual care partners’ needs and begin at, or even before, the hospital admission of older adult patients.