Dementia is a leading cause for admission of older people to long-term care (LTC) facilities [1] affecting at least
80% of the residents [2]. The majority of the individuals are institutionalised during the later stages of dementia,
when behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) (e.g., agitation or apathy) are more significant
[1]. Consequently, BPSD are highly prevalent in care homes, imposing major demands on Direct Care Workers
(DCWs) who provide the most hands-on care to these residents. Yet, DCWs are often under-prepared for effectively
managing the care required, revealing low educational attainment and inadequate training on dementia [3].
The growing demand for high-quality care to an increasingly number of people with dementia, underscores the
need for training interventions to deal with the shortage of competent DCWs [3]. In order to enrich the development
of effective training interventions, previous knowledge about potential participants’ experiences should be acquired.
Thus, the present study sought to understand the difficulties faced by DCWs’ caring for people with dementia in
LTC facilities.