Perceived Impact of Enhanced Group Activity Kits on Recreational Activity Leaders in Dementia Care

OBJECTIVES: Recreational activities are crucial for enhancing the well-being of persons living with dementia (PLwD), yet designing and implementing high-quality activities impose substantial demands on recreational activity staff (hereafter, activity leaders) who facilitate activities in dementia care settings. Moreover, while developing effective group activities requires attention to the needs of both PLwD and activity leaders, no prior research has examined how the use of enhanced, preprepared activity materials contributes to activity leaders' professional experience. Enhanced group activity kits (EGAKs) were developed to optimize group activities for PLwD and have previously been shown to positively affect PLwD. This study examines the impact of EGAKs use on activity leaders who facilitated these recreational group activities. DESIGN: Mixed-methods pilot study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This study included 14 activity leaders from 10 dementia care units who implemented EGAKs during routine group activities. METHODS: Participants completed a post-intervention questionnaire and/or a follow-up questionnaire after using EGAKs. Four questions were analyzed quantitatively, and the primary analysis involved an inductive content analysis of open-ended responses. Both authors iteratively reviewed and refined the categories to ensure analytic rigor and credibility. RESULTS: Activity leaders reported that using EGAKs had a substantial professional impact, including a deeper understanding of participating PLwD and enhanced skills for facilitating group activities. They attributed these effects to the combined experience of using EGAKs and completing outcome and fidelity-to-principles questionnaires. Additional themes pertained to improved relationships with participants and personal benefits from the experience. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Using EGAKs, especially when paired with reflective questionnaires, served as a valuable training experience that improved activity leaders' professional insights and skills. EGAKs were perceived as more enjoyable and easier to use than designing high-quality recreational activities independently. Given their modest costs and perceived benefits, broader dissemination of EGAKs warrants further exploration.