How staff characteristics influence residential care facility staff’s attitude toward person-centered care and informal care

Background Staff members, and their attitudes, are crucial for providing person-centered care in residential care facilities for people with dementia. However, the literature on the attitudes of nursing staff regarding person-centered care is limited. The objective of this study is to explore the association between staff characteristics (age, education level, years of work experience and function, i.e., care or welfare) and staff attitudes toward perceived person-centered care provision and including informal caregivers in the caregiving process in residential care facilities. Methods A convenience sample of 68 care staff – nurses and nurse assistants - welfare staff members – activity counselors, hostesses, and living room caretakers - of two residential care facilities filled out a questionnaire. Staff attitudes regarding perceived person-centered care were measured with the Person-centered Care Assessment Tool (P-CAT). Staff attitudes regarding informal care provision were measured with the Attitudes Toward Families Checklist (AFC). Multiple linear regression analysis explored the association between variables age, work experience, education, and function (care or welfare). Results A higher age of staff was associated with a more negative attitude toward perceived person-centered care and informal care provision. Welfare staff had a more negative attitude toward the inclusion of informal caregivers than care staff. The perceived person-centered care provision of the care and welfare staff was both positive. Work experience and education were not associated with perceived person-centered care provision or informal care provision. Conclusion This study is one of the first to provide insight into the association between staff characteristics and their attitude toward their perceived person-centered care provision and informal care provision. A higher age of both the care and welfare staff was associated with a more negative attitude toward their perceived person-centered care and informal care provision. Welfare staff had a less positive attitude toward informal care provision. Additionally, future studies, also observational studies and interview studies, are necessary to collect evidence on the reasons for negative attitudes of older staff members towards PCC and informal care giving, to be able to adequately target these reasons by implementing interventions that eliminate or reduce these negative attitudes.