“Inside out”: developing the MEDREV intervention for carers of people with dementia using COM-B

Abstract

Background: People with dementia (PwD) can exhibit behaviours that challenging which are sometimes managed inappropriately with psychotropic drugs. MEDREV is a feasibility study testing a medication review to reduce psychotropics. Alongside that, we aim to deliver a behaviour change intervention for care staff caring for PwD to help them manage challenging behaviours with reduced medication. Methods: We employed the COM-B model to develop the intervention for care staff. We will conduct pre- and post-intervention interviews with care staff to gather experiences of the intervention, lessons learned, and potential barriers to long-term implementation. Expected results: A workshop and environmental intervention package, “Inside Outâ€, has been developed. It focuses on promotion of person-centred care and challenging behaviour as an expression of unmet need: the challenging behaviour is evident on the outside, so we get to what’s inside by knowing the PwD through person-centred care. We expect this to provide strategies for dealing with and potentially reducing challenging behaviour; it will refresh care staff’s commitment to person-centred care; quality of life will be improved among PwD and care staff. Current stage of work: We are about to begin pre-intervention interviews and delivering the intervention in the first care home recruited. Discussion: This study will demonstrate the practicability of COM-B for the development of a multi-purpose complex intervention aimed at PwD and care staff. It benefits from an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach working closely with care homes to establish ways of working that will increase the quality of life for residents and care staff.