Late-life depression training for in-home aged care staff: A mixed-methods pilot study

The demand for in-home aged care services is increasing. Given the high prevalence of mental health difficulties among service users, it is important for aged care staff to be equipped to identify and to respond to such issues. To address this need, the Enhanced Management of home-Based Elders with Depression (EMBED) staff training program in late-life depression was developed. This pilot study evaluated the program’s feasibility, acceptability, and staff outcomes on confidence, knowledge and attitudes toward depression (mental health stigma) and aging attitudes (ageism). The program comprised of a 70- to 90-minute online training, which aimed to reduce ageist and mental health stigma, enhance knowledge and skills in detecting depression and increase confidence in working with aged care recipients with depressive symptoms. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Of the 21 staff who completed training, data from pre- and post-intervention surveys were analyzed for 17 participants and 16 follow-up qualitative interviews took place. The sample included both women and men and was largely comprised of staff aged 25–64 years. The training was feasible and acceptable. Attendees reported significantly higher levels of confidence and positive attitudes toward depression, and lower ageist attitudes, following training. Knowledge of late-life depression did not improve significantly. The effectiveness of the EMBED staff training program should be further evaluated in a larger trial.