Staff employed in small-scale, homelike dementia living facilities have been shown to experience fewer physical demands, lower workload and more job autonomy compared with staff in regular wards, according to a study published in the Journal of Research in Nursing.

Dutch researchers compared the effects on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics, including job autonomy, social support, physical demands and workload among 114 staff members in 28 homelike dementia care facilities (i.e. small-scale living facilities) against those of 191 workers in 21 regular SNF psychogeriatric wards.

They sent questionnaries to the nursing staff at the two types of long-term institutional nursing care settings.

The researchers found that, although nursing staff working in small-scale facilities were expected to experience fewer burnout symptoms and more social support, no overall effects were found on these subjects.

Findings showed staff members in homelike dementia settings experience more autonomy and significantly fewer symptoms of physical demands and workload when compared with staff in regular psychogeriatric wards.