The Volunteer Dementia and Delirium Care (VDDC) Program: An Exploration of Perceived Barriers and Enablers to Implementation in an Acute and Subacute Metropolitan Hospital

Objective: To explore the perceived barriers and enablers to the implementation of the Volunteer Dementia and Delirium program from the perspective of key stakeholders in a metropolitan hospital network.

Methods: Focus groups and interviews with hospital staff, volunteers, patients and caregivers. Deductive analysis was conducted for the Behaviour Change Wheel (COM-B) domains, and inductive thematic analysis for emerging themes.

Results: Utilising the skills and knowledge of volunteers, making the program available to all patients, and recognising that volunteers will improve the care experience for patients were identified as enablers. Threats to volunteer safety, difficulty in defining roles and responsibilities of volunteers, volunteer attrition and availability and supervision of volunteers were perceived as barriers to implementation.

Conclusion: To enhance the implementation of the program into a metropolitan setting, strategies addressing the identified barriers and enablers need to be developed.