Effective Communication with People with Dementia: An Exploratory Study of Pre-registration Occupational Therapy Students

Dementia is a major global concern, with 50 million people already affected worldwide in 2018, and this number is expected to triple by 2050. Healthcare practitioners, specifically occupational therapists, are responsible for providing care and ensuring the well-being of people with dementia. However, occupational therapy students may not always have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively communicate and support dementia patients, which could negatively impact the quality of care they provide. To explore this issue, a study was conducted with final-year pre-registration occupational therapy students at a public university in England. The study used a qualitative methodology, with semi-structured interviews of students. The objective was to understand the perspective of their learning experiences about communicating with dementia patients. The analysis revealed three main themes: dementia content and teaching methods, gaps in learning about communication with people with dementia, and limited placement opportunities. The study also encouraged occupational therapy students' suggestions for improving the curriculum for future students. The findings also contributed to existing literature in the field and suggested areas for further research.