Using Action Research to Develop Communication Tools for Care Workers

In the near future, family therapists will find themselves working in non-traditional settings such as assisted living facilities, nursing homes, private homes, and hospitals (Curtis & Dixon, 2005). This study evaluates the effectiveness of a training tool first to identify and second to enhance the training needs of direct care workers (DCW) who deal with people affected by cognitive impairments. Therefore, this study sought to address the major implications of the increasing number of older adults in the United States, alongside the increasing demand for competent direct care workers. Furthermore, the number of older adults in need of mental health services is increasing, and training direct care workers to provide basic level mental health care will be crucial. The implications of both these trends on the training of direct care workers on a national level was explored.