ABSTRACT
E stimates suggest that, by the year 2050, there will be approximately 14 million people with a dementia diagnosis in the United States (Hebert, Beckett, Scherr, & Evans, 2001). When the family can no longer manage the person with dementia at home, or when there is no family to provide care, residential care is the logical option. Thus, approximately 4.6 million persons with dementia will reside in nursing homes (Burgio & Stevens, 1999), where currently 75% of all residents have a dementia diagnosis (Beck, Doan, & Cody, 2002). In this setting, care is provided largely from staff in the nursing department, as well as the activities department. The staff hired to provide care to the frail elderly range from nurses in managerial positions who have advanced degrees to CNAs in paraprofessional positions who often have a high school education. Certifi ed CNAs (CNAs) hold approximately 85% of all positions in long-term care (Beck et al., 2002). The job of a CNA is demanding under the best of circumstances, and the challenges of providing quality care to persons with dementia are many. Accordingly, efforts are under way to develop effective staff training programs and desirable work environments in times of high staff turnover and few staff incentives.
