Feasibility of a Mobile Meal Assistance Program for Direct Care Workers in Long-Term Care Facilities in South Korea

Clin Interv Aging. 2020 Oct 29:15:2019-2029. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S273934. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and examine the preliminary effectiveness of a mobile application-based meal assistant training program (APP) for use by direct care workers (CAs) assisting residents with dementia in long-term care facilities in South Korea.

Methods: We adopted a mixed methods research design, which included a pre- and post-intervention study and focus group interviews for the feasibility assessment. Participants included 23 dyads of older adults with dementia and their CAs from a long-term care facility in South Korea. Upon completion of the APP intervention, focused group interviews were conducted with six CAs and five nurses.

Results: The results of paired t-tests showed that the effects of the APP intervention on the older adults with dementia and their CAs were not significant; however, the results of the focused group interviews support the potential usefulness of the APP for CAs.

Conclusion: The APP may be applicable to long-term care workers who need meal assistant skills education.

Keywords: dementia; eating; mobile applications; nursing intervention.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Dementia / nursing*
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Feeding Behavior*
  • Female
  • Health Personnel / education*
  • Humans
  • Long-Term Care*
  • Male
  • Malnutrition / prevention & control
  • Nursing Homes*
  • Nutritional Status
  • Professional-Patient Relations*
  • Republic of Korea

Grants and funding

National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grants funded by the Korea government (No. 201713030011, 2020R1A2C1013713).