Building connections in aged care follow-up evaluation: final report, SNM Aged Care Report No.5

Abstract

Consistent with reccomendations from the 'Building Connections in Aged Care Final Report (2005), the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing funded the conduct of of a follow-up evaluation. The Building Connections in Aged Care Follow-up Evaluation, investigated two further cohorts of students on placements in the aged care facilities involved in the Building Connections project (intervention group), at 6 and 12 months post completion of Stage 3. The evaluation also included two cohorts of students on placement in aged care facilities, which had no prior involvement in the Building Connections project (control group). The findings highlighted a statistically significant improvement in the intervention group students attitude to working in aged care following graduation. No such improvement was evident in students on placement in the control facilities. These findings highlighted the sustainability of the improvement achieved as a result of the interventions implemented in the aged care facilities in earlier stages of the Building Connections project.