Trauma awareness in dementia care: Staff training delivery and evaluation

This service development project was designed to enhance staff confidence and competence in recognising and responding to psychological trauma in older adults with dementia. It also sought to support staff in managing trauma-related distress using a trauma-informed approach. A one-hour, face-to-face training session was delivered five times between August and October 2024. Staff completed questionnaires at three time points: pre-training, post-training and one month follow-up, to assess both immediate and sustained impact. Statistical analysis using the Friedman test and Wilcoxon post hoc comparisons revealed significant increases in confidence scores from pre- to post-training, and from pre-training to one-month follow-up. Qualitative feedback highlighted the training’s value in shaping clinical understanding and practice. Reflections emphasised the importance of visually engaging, interactive delivery and the use of real-life examples in promoting meaningful and lasting learning. Limitations and future directions are discussed.