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Objectives: The arts are increasingly recognised as important and beneficial activities for people living with dementia. However, there is little peer-reviewed published research exploring arts-based learning for dementia care staff. In response, this paper explores (a) how dementia care staff describe forms of communication in care settings, and (b) the impact on communication following four sessions of 'Creative Conversations', an arts-based intervention for skills development. Method: Fourteen care homes received the intervention, delivered as 4 × 2 hour sessions. The intervention uses a range of activities (e.g. poetry, film, music, art making). Twenty–eight care staff were opportunistically sampled (mean age = 42.29), and provided pre-post qualitative data, obtained through interviews. Transcripts were analysed thematically. Results: At baseline, the dominant 'task-focussed' nature of care work was described as a barrier to communication, challenging opportunities for developing meaningful relationships with residents. Post-intervention, three primary themes were identified regarding improving communication: (1) learning through the arts (secondary themes: simplicity and subtlety, innovation in communication, and strengthening the role of non-verbal communication), (2) Enhancing creative approaches to care (secondary themes: element of surprise, confidence to experiment and catalyst for communication) and (3) professional introspection (secondary themes: development of empathy, sharing knowledge and experiences and a new appreciation). Conclusions: The intervention validated staff skills and confidence, enabling meaningful interactions that could be creative, 'in the moment', spontaneous and improvised. This arts-based intervention, which departs from formal education and fact-based learning may be particularly useful for the development of the dementia care workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was motivated by the large number of inmates at the Bina Laras Harapan Sentosa 2 Social Home, the majority of whom came from the streets. With the different educational backgrounds of the accompanying officers, the process of extracting data and information from the inmates is a challenge in itself. What is the communication strategy used by social assistants in the assessment process with inmates? If the communication strategy is carried out correctly, the process of extracting information from the inmates will run according to expectations and make the service and rehabilitation process run according to the SOP. The theory used in this research uses Communication Accommodation Theory and Social Learning Theory. This is based on the observation that officers and inmates appear to imitate each other's behavior and the behavior adopted is based on the environment and the behavior of other people around them. This study used qualitative research methods. This research concludes that the communication strategy carried out by the assistants was successful in accordance with expectations. This can be seen from the data and information obtained which is adequate and the assisted residents can receive services and rehabilitation according to the criteria, and quite a lot have been successfully reunified with their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]