Dementia and Discharge Planning: A thematic analysis on the experiences of care managers with discharge planning for patients with dementia

Dementia and Discharge Planning: A thematic analysis on the experiences of care managers with discharge planning for patients with dementia

Hospital care managers work to facilitate in-hospital services and adequate discharge plans for their patients with dementia diagnoses. Care managers can experience potential difficulties due to the challenges that come with serving this population. Evidence suggests that the involvement of care managers leads to better patient outcomes, yet turnover rates for care managers are on the rise. Based on the research, examples such as role ambiguity, large caseloads, and pressure by the hospitals to limit average length of stay have been identified by care managers as some common stressors of discharge planning. However, little research has been conducted to examine the specific stressors and obstacles that care managers experience while working with people with dementia. Identifying these stressors is crucial due to the rapidly aging population in the State of Maine, meaning more people will be diagnosed with dementia-like symptoms every year. This qualitative study aims to identify patterns or themes that may exist among care managers in the hope of addressing workplace burnout and the adequacy of community resources available to patients. Data will be collected using semi-structured, open-ended interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis among six to eight care managers on their experiences related to effective discharge planning for patients with dementia. The findings may impact future research on potential methods of reducing adverse experiences for care managers working with people with dementia.