Issues in Structuring Second Year Paramedic Students' Clinical Placement in Aged Care Facilities to Support their Engagement with Residents with Dementia

Background The demand on ambulance services is growing internationally. A key contributor is an ageing population who often require ambulance services to support exacerbations of chronic conditions. Recognising older people’s need for ambulance services, extended paramedic roles have been developed to respond to the non-emergency needs of older people living in community and residential aged care contexts. However, little is known of paramedic engagement with the aged care sector or strategies to support paramedic students’ participation in quality aged care clinical placements and their engagement with residents with dementia.