Residential aged care staff awareness of and engagement with dementia‐specific support services and education

OBJECTIVE: To examine residential aged care (RAC) staff awareness of and engagement with dementia‐specific support services and education. METHODS: A cross‐sectional survey of staff (n = 179) from 36 Victorian RAC facilities. RESULTS: 60% (n = 107) of respondents were aware of dementia‐specific support services, but only 27% (n = 48) accessed services in the previous 2 years. Approximately 77% (n = 137) were aware of dementia‐specific education, with 66% (n = 115) completing education in the previous 2 years. A significantly higher proportion of registered nurses had accessed dementia‐specific support services in the past 2 years compared with enrolled nurses and personal care assistants (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A relatively large proportion of RAC staff were unaware of available dementia‐specific support services and education. While approximately two thirds accessed such education, only one in four accessed dementia‐specific support services. To optimise the quality of care for people with dementia, strategies to increase awareness of and access to these resources are warranted.