Development of a Micro-credential Curriculum: The Interprofessional Dementia Caregiving Telehealth Community Practicum Badge

Abstract

Purpose: Informal dementia caregiving by family caregivers is a crucial component of the care provided to people living with dementia (PLwD). The numbers of these family caregivers are rapidly increasing at a time, when in the U.S., the availability of formal caregivers is decreasing. Currently, health professional training focuses on providing care to PLwD and not necessarily addressing the caregiver’s needs, and this training takes place within professional silos and not interprofessionally. This study sought to address this issue by: 1) examining the current state of interprofessional dementia caregiving trainings in the US; and 2) developing a micro-credential curriculum called interprofessional dementia caregiving telehealth community practicum badge suitable for health profession students in order to meet the needs of dementia caregivers in Wisconsin. Methods: A four-phase-embedded approach was used. In the first phase, a scoping review on the current state of interprofessional education regarding caregivers of PLwD was conducted. Next, a team comprised of 6 faculty and staff with expertise in dementia care and caregiving, 2 dementia care specialists (DCS), and 2 family caregivers provided their expertise and input into developing the components of a micro-credential badge. These components and details were then assessed/revised based on interviews with 11 additional family caregivers, DCSs, and community leaders. Finally, the micro-credential interprofessional dementia caregiving curriculum was developed. Results: The micro-credential curriculum was named the Interprofessional Dementia Caregiving Telehealth Community Practicum Badge. The badge requires that an interprofessional team of students to: 1) complete five self-directed modules; 2) conduct initial virtual caregiver home visit to assess needs; 3) hold a virtual meeting with an Aging Disability Resource Center (ADRC) specialist to acquire the resources; 4) develop a customized Caregiver Health and Wellness Resource Packet; 5) hold a second/final virtual home visit to present the packet to the caregiver; 6) conduct a debrief session with all involved parties; and 7) finalize/submit the Packet along with reflection as a Capstone Project. Conclusion The micro-credential badge curriculum was piloted in the spring of 2022 while incorporating findings from this study. The completion of the interprofessional dementia caregiving badge counts towards the UW IPE Path of Distinction