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Mealtime support for people with dementia in residential care homes: Exploring direct care workers' perceptions, challenges, and training needs.

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Title: Mealtime support for people with dementia in residential care homes: Exploring direct care workers' perceptions, challenges, and training needs.
Authors: Passos, Lígia (AUTHOR), Tavares, João (AUTHOR), Batchelor, Melissa (AUTHOR), Pereira, Karina (AUTHOR), Figueiredo, Daniela (AUTHOR)
Source: Educational Gerontology. May2026, Vol. 52 Issue 5, p444-460. 17p.
Subjects: Nonprofit organizations, Work, Research funding, Qualitative research, Medical quality control, Caregiver education, Interviewing, Descriptive statistics, Judgment sampling, Professions, Thematic analysis, Research, Research methodology, Health behavior, Food habits, Meals, Needs assessment, Data analysis software, Residential care, Dementia patients, Caregiver attitudes, Experiential learning
Geographic Terms: Portugal
Abstract: Dementia's progressive impact on physical and cognitive functions often demands institutionalization, where direct care workers provide essential mealtime support for people with dementia. However, the challenges associated with mealtime assistance are complex, and direct care workers frequently lack specialized training. This study aimed to explore direct care workers' perceptions and concerns regarding mealtime difficulties of people with dementia and to identify their educational needs for improved performance in helping these people at mealtimes. A qualitative, exploratory study was conducted with 17 direct care workers from three nonprofit residential care settings. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using reflexive, and collaborative thematic analysis, to identify key themes related to direct care workers' experiences and educational needs. Findings highlighted the significant challenges direct care workers face, such as food refusal and behavioral issues, often intensified by limited time and lack of formal training. Direct care workers expressed a desire for practical, hands-on training tailored to dementia-related mealtime difficulties, emphasizing the importance of learning adaptive techniques to improve care quality. The results underscore the need for targeted training programs that address mealtime challenges in dementia care, considering direct care workers' current knowledge and learning preferences. Such programs could empower direct care workers, enhancing their skills and confidence, and ultimately benefiting people with dementia by promoting improved mealtime experiences and nutritional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Educational Gerontology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Mealtime support for people with dementia in residential care homes: Exploring direct care workers' perceptions, challenges, and training needs.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Educational+Gerontology%22">Educational Gerontology</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 52 Issue 5, p444-460. 17p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nonprofit+organizations%22">Nonprofit organizations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work%22">Work</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+quality+control%22">Medical quality control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caregiver+education%22">Caregiver education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Judgment+sampling%22">Judgment sampling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professions%22">Professions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thematic+analysis%22">Thematic analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research%22">Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+behavior%22">Health behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Food+habits%22">Food habits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Meals%22">Meals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Needs+assessment%22">Needs assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Residential+care%22">Residential care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dementia+patients%22">Dementia patients</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caregiver+attitudes%22">Caregiver attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experiential+learning%22">Experiential learning</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Portugal%22">Portugal</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Dementia's progressive impact on physical and cognitive functions often demands institutionalization, where direct care workers provide essential mealtime support for people with dementia. However, the challenges associated with mealtime assistance are complex, and direct care workers frequently lack specialized training. This study aimed to explore direct care workers' perceptions and concerns regarding mealtime difficulties of people with dementia and to identify their educational needs for improved performance in helping these people at mealtimes. A qualitative, exploratory study was conducted with 17 direct care workers from three nonprofit residential care settings. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using reflexive, and collaborative thematic analysis, to identify key themes related to direct care workers' experiences and educational needs. Findings highlighted the significant challenges direct care workers face, such as food refusal and behavioral issues, often intensified by limited time and lack of formal training. Direct care workers expressed a desire for practical, hands-on training tailored to dementia-related mealtime difficulties, emphasizing the importance of learning adaptive techniques to improve care quality. The results underscore the need for targeted training programs that address mealtime challenges in dementia care, considering direct care workers' current knowledge and learning preferences. Such programs could empower direct care workers, enhancing their skills and confidence, and ultimately benefiting people with dementia by promoting improved mealtime experiences and nutritional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Educational Gerontology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03601277.2025.2502042
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 444
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Nonprofit organizations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical quality control
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Caregiver education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Judgment sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food habits
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Meals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Needs assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Residential care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dementia patients
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Caregiver attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Experiential learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Portugal
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Mealtime support for people with dementia in residential care homes: Exploring direct care workers' perceptions, challenges, and training needs.
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            NameFull: Passos, Lígia
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            NameFull: Tavares, João
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            NameFull: Batchelor, Melissa
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            NameFull: Pereira, Karina
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            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Text: May2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 52
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