Empathy-Based Training in a Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) for Dementia Care - Abstract

Q: What problem did the GWEP initiative aim to address?

Formal dementia training was limited in the Southwest border region, with scarce educational resources and community support for dementia care. The program targeted this knowledge gap for both formal and informal healthcare workers.

Q: How was the empathy-based training delivered?

The initiative implemented Dementia Live®, an immersive empathy-based experience aligned with age-friendly and dementia-friendly care content.

Q: How effective was the training at improving dementia knowledge?

Knowledge scores increased significantly from pre-training (M=3.29) to post-training (M=3.81), with t(118)=5.92 and p<.001. A moderate effect size (d=0.54) indicated meaningful practical impact.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Cipher

Empathy-focused dementia training was implemented in the U.S. Southwest border region to address limited formal dementia education and scarce community support for caregivers. As a first-year Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) HRSA grant recipient, the initiative selected Dementia Live® to provide age-friendly, dementia-friendly content. Training was delivered to 119 Hispanic/Latino participants across varied care roles. Pre- and post-training surveys with paired t-tests assessed knowledge gains, showing a significant increase from M=3.29 to M=3.81 (t(118)=5.92, p<.001) and a moderate effect size (d=0.54).

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Program background

Training implementation

Evaluation methods

Results and impact

Strengths and scalability

1170 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.3922 EMPATHY-BASED TRAINING IN A GERIATRIC WORKFORCE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (GWEP) FOR DEMENTIA CARE Guillermina Solis, Emre Umucu, Andrew Vernon, Beatrice Lee, Cecilia Fierro, and Hyejin Jung, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States In the southwest border region, formal dementia training has traditionally been limited, and educational resources and community support for care have been scarce. As a first-year Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) recipient of a HRSA grant, the goal is to enhance training and educational resources for the formal and informal healthcare workforce in the region. Programs, such as Dementia Live®, that align with provision of content within age-friendly and dementia friendly care are selected to address the critical gap of knowledge as an entry point into dementia care education for diverse disciplines and caregivers. The initiative implemented Dementia Live® training, which provides an immersive, empathy-based experience to 119 Hispanic/Latino participants, who held various care roles in a variety of health care settings. The effectiveness of the training was evaluated with a pre and post training survey and statistical comparison with paired t-test was conducted to examine changes in dementia knowledge. The results showed a statistically significant increase in knowledge scores from pre-training (M = 3.29) Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 1171 to post-training (M = 3.81), t(118)=5.92, p<.001. Additionally, a moderate effect size (d = 0.54) was observed indicating a meaningful practical impact. This study supports that an empathy-focused educational approach is highly effective in boosting dementia knowledge among multidisciplinary care teams. By reaching a broad, underserved population, this project demonstrates a replicable model for GWEP initiatives to build geriatric care readiness and establish essential educational and community support infrastructure in areas lacking resources. A key strength of this initiative was its ability to engage a diverse workforce.

FAQs

What problem did the GWEP initiative aim to address?

Formal dementia training was limited in the Southwest border region, with scarce educational resources and community support for dementia care. The program targeted this knowledge gap for both formal and informal healthcare workers.

How was the empathy-based training delivered?

The initiative implemented Dementia Live®, an immersive empathy-based experience aligned with age-friendly and dementia-friendly care content.

How effective was the training at improving dementia knowledge?

Knowledge scores increased significantly from pre-training (M=3.29) to post-training (M=3.81), with t(118)=5.92 and p<.001. A moderate effect size (d=0.54) indicated meaningful practical impact.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Cipher