Understanding the training and education needs of homecare workers supporting people with dementia and cancer: A systematic review of reviews

Citation

Cunningham N, Cowie J, Watchman K & Methven K (2020) Understanding the training and education needs of homecare workers supporting people with dementia and cancer: A systematic review of reviews. Dementia, 19 (8), pp. 2780-2803. https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301219859781

Abstract
Many people with dementia, supported by family carers, prefer to live at home and may rely on homecare support services. People with dementia are also often living with multimorbidities, including cancer. The main risk factor for both cancer and dementia is age and the number of people living with dementia and cancer likely to rise. Upskilling the social care workforce to facilitate more complex care is central to national workforce strategies and challenges. Training and education development must also respond to the key requirements of a homecare workforce experiencing financial, recruitment and retention difficulties. This systematic review of reviews provides an overview of dementia and cancer training and education accessible to the homecare workforce. Findings reveal there is a diverse range of training and education available, with mixed evidence of effectiveness. Key barriers and facilitators to effective training and education are identified in order to inform future training, education and learning development for the homecare workforce supporting people with dementia and cancer.

Keywords
Homecare; multimorbidity; dementia and cancer; training and education

Journal
Dementia: Volume 19, Issue 8

• Published version