{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,16]],"date-time":"2026-07-16T09:03:45Z","timestamp":1784192625130,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]],"date-time":"2026-07-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784073600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Dementia affects approximately 9.6% of Americans aged 65 or older, with these numbers predicted to continue to rise, making it a significant growing public health concern that physical therapists may encounter. Dementia affects a large amount of the PT patient population, yet physical therapists report reduced confidence in treating this population due to the lack of education in academia and reduced exposure to dementia care in clinical practice. This experimental pre-post test study examined the effect of the Leveraging Existing Abilities in Dementia\u2122 training program on confidence in handling various situations and the utilization of communication and treatment strategies discussed in the LEAD\u2122 training program when treating individuals with dementia. Eight rehabilitation providers completed the 12 h LEAD\u2122 training program. Pre-program, post-program, and 3-month surveys were administered to capture confidence in communication, implementation strategies and dementia knowledge. (p = 0.003). At baseline, participants were unfamiliar with 5 of 10 validated dementia care practices, but by 3-month follow-up, 90% reported using these strategies at least weekly. Notable gains included intent to use the K.I.S.S. method (+73%) and spaced retrieval (+29%). Although dementia is highly prevalent, many rehabilitation providers lack confidence in dementia care due to limited training. The LEAD\u2122 program shows potential to bridge this gap, but continued evaluation is needed to assess long-term effects on practice and patient outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph23070908","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,16]],"date-time":"2026-07-16T08:08:34Z","timestamp":1784189314000},"page":"908","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Examining the Impact of LEADTM Training on Confidence and Practice Patterns in Rehabilitation Professionals"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"given":"Gedenir","family":"Fiorese","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, School of Kinesiology & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexa","family":"Shinn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, School of Kinesiology & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-2915-8803","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacklyn","family":"Silkes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, School of Kinesiology & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Katherine S.","family":"Judge","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8121-055X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicole","family":"Dawson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, School of Kinesiology & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"e12237","article-title":"Estimation of dementia prevalence at the local level in the United States","volume":"7","author":"Bennett","year":"2021","journal-title":"Alzheimers Dement."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"National Institute on Aging (2025, June 15). 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Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels, Berrett-Koehler Publishers."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2923.2011.04076.x","article-title":"Kirkpatrick\u2019s levels and education \u2018evidence\u2019","volume":"46","author":"Yardley","year":"2012","journal-title":"Med. 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