Integration Between Learning, Body and Emotions (I-ACE)

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of training on non-pharmacological therapies (NPT) for people with dementia (PWD) on professional caregivers burnout and well-being in the relationship between caregivers and people with dementia (PWD) living in nursing home.The main questions it aims to answer are:Does I-ACE training, that includes a training in the emotional-behavioral reading of body language and the recognition of one's own emotions and those of others, reduces professional caregiver burnout?Does I-ACE training improves the ability to understand and respond to the emotions of the other starting from the signals expressed by the eyes, the activation of the predisposition to the relationship in terms of increase of salivary oxytocin, the sense of competence of the carers, the ethical climate at the workplace and the quality of life of the resident perceived by the team?Participants will attend twenty-two sessions:two theoretical meetings on dementia and NPT; ten supervision meetings on the methodology for implementing non-pharmacological therapies based on discussions of cases; ten meetings on the exploration of the bodily aspects involved in the relationship through theatrical exercises. The same cases will be re-discussed in the light of the body-emotional approach.Researchers will compare the I-ACE group with an active control group and an usual care control group to see if there are improvements in term of professional caregivers burnout, their ability to understand and respond to the emotions of PWD, increase of their levels of salivary oxytocin, sense of competence of the carers, the ethical climate at the workplace and the quality of life of the resident perceived by the team.

Inclusion Criteria:Length of service more than six months.Exclusion Criteria:Presence of psychiatric illness or other medical condition that prevents participation in the training.