Perspectives of general practice nurses, people living with dementia and carers on the delivery of dementia care in the primary care setting: potential models for optimal care

Caroline Gibson; Dianne Goeman; Constance Dimity Pond; Mark Yates; Alison M. Hutchinson

doi:10.1071/PY24154

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Contents Vol 31(2)

Perspectives of general practice nurses, people living with dementia and carers on the delivery of dementia care in the primary care setting: potential models for optimal care

Caroline Gibson ^A ^B ^* , Dianne Goeman ^A ^C , Constance Dimity Pond ^D , Mark Yates ^B ^E Alison M. Hutchinson ^F ^G

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A University of Newcastle, School of Medicine and Public Health, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.

^B Grampians Health, Ballarat, Vic 3350, Australia.

^C Monash University, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Clayton, Vic 3800, Australia.

^D University of Tasmania, Wicking Dementia and Teaching Centre, Hobart, Tas 7000, Australia.

^E Deakin University, School of Medicine, Geelong, Vic 3220, Australia.

^F Deakin University, School of Nursing and Midwifery and Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research in the Institute for Health Transformation, Geelong, Vic 3220, Australia.

^G Barwon Health, Geelong, Vic 3220, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: caroline.gibson@uon.edu.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 31, PY24154 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY24154

Submitted: 21 September 2024 Accepted: 7 February 2025 Published: 25 February 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

The increasing prevalence of dementia requires a change in the organisation and delivery of primary care to improve the accessibility of best-practice care for people living with dementia and their carer(s). The aim of this study is to describe potential models of dementia care in the primary care setting whereby the nurse plays a central role, from the perspectives of nurses working in general practice, people living with dementia and carer(s).

Methods

Data from two qualitative semi-structured interview studies were pooled to explore the views of nurses working in general practice, people living with dementia and carer(s) on potential models for the provision of nurse-delivered dementia care. Data were thematically analysed. Six carers, five people living with dementia and 13 nurses working in general practice took part in the study. The data used in this study have not been previously reported.

Results

Three themes describing nurse-delivered models of care to meet the healthcare needs of people living with dementia and their carer(s) were identified: nurse-led care, dementia care nurse specialist outreach and nurse-enhanced post-diagnostic care.

Conclusions

This study describes three potential models of dementia care delivery by the nurse in general practice. These findings can be used to guide the implementation of new models of care that integrate the provision of dementia care by nurses within interdisciplinary primary care teams, to better meet the healthcare needs of people living with dementia and their carer(s).

Keywords: carers, dementia, general practice, nurse-led care, nurses, people living with dementia, primary care, qualitative.

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