Evaluation of the person-centered care essentials program: importance of trainers in achieving targeted outcomes.

A person-centered care (PCC) training program was developed and disseminated to 84 institutes for retired religious persons across the United States. The program was delivered via a train-the-trainer model wherein institute trainers attended a 2-day training conference, then taught the material to direct care workers (DCWs) at their respective sites. Evaluation of the training showed that DCWs' attitudes toward and knowledge of PCC improved after training. The relationship between trainers' perception of the ability of their site to implement PCC training and DCW knowledge improvement varied by training module. Training regarding the physical environment resulted in the smallest gains in DCW knowledge.