Purpose The decline in cognitive abilities among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease significantly impacts their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), creating challenges and stress for their caregivers. This study aimed to investigate the priorities of family caregivers of community-dwelling individuals with Alzheimer's disease concerning the preservation of their loved ones' ADLs.
Methods We employed a cross-sectional design with a best-worst scaling approach (BWS), and developed a BWS questionnaire utilizing the 10 daily living items from the Disability Assessment for Alzheimer’s Disease scale. This questionnaire was administered to 132 caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS WIN 21.0 and the R statistical program.
Results The results revealed that "using the toilet without accidents" emerged as the top-ranked ADL that family caregivers preferred to preserve for the longest duration among individuals with Alzheimer's disease living at home. In contrast, "Managing money appropriately" was identified as a daily living activity considered relatively less critical to preserve. The study further indicated a preference among caregivers for preserving physical ADLs over instrumental ADLs.
Conclusion This research provides clinical evidence shedding light on the priorities of family caregivers in preserving the functional abilities of individuals with Alzheimer's disease within the community.
PURPOSE This study was performed to identify job competencies and needs for job education perceived by new community health practitioners. METHODS This study used a qualitative research design. Eight new community health practitioners participated in this study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS Five job competencies were identified in this study, including primary care, public health management, interpersonal relationship, teaching and counseling, and leadership. The contents of job education that they needed were management of major symptoms and chronic diseases, understanding and prescription of medications, emergency responses and care, management of endemic diseases, planning and management of public health programs, writing official documentsand computer works, and leadership training. The learning methods they preferred were connecting theory and practice, situation- or case-based learning, skill- or practice-based learning, and increased opportunities of clinical practice. CONCLUSION The findings of this study provided the direction of job education for new community health practitioners. Job education for new community health practitioners needs to consider the job competencies and educational needs identified in this study.
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