What is Person-Centered Care Anyway?
Today in every healthcare arena, there is increasing reference to “person-centered care.” Other similar terms include patient-centered, resident-centered, individualized or personalized care. For short-stay patients or long-term residents in a nursing center, person-centered care means that staff seeks out individual preferences for the majority of daily decisions. Staff at person-centered care nursing centers is trained in this special approach where daily activities are created around individual needs instead of simply focusing on a list of tasks that must be completed. Patients and residents make decisions as they would in their life outside the care setting. For example, people may choose what to eat for breakfast and what time they would like to eat it. Regardless of the terms used, a lot of research has looked into what matters to patients and how to provide such person-centered care to ensure good experiences and positive outcomes.
Individuals are Experts in their Care
Person-centered care requires healthcare professionals, staff, patients, residents and families to be on the same team as partners in planning and implementing care plans that meet individual needs. People and their families are seen as experts who are working alongside professionals to achieve the best outcomes. Personalized care, however, is not just about giving people whatever they want or providing information. It is about considering an individual’s desires, values, family situations, social circumstances and lifestyles. It requires compassionate staff that think about things from a patient’s or resident’s point of view.
Principals of Person-Centered Care
No matter what setting, the underlying philosophy of person-centered care is the same: it is about doing things with people, rather than ‘to’ them. While there are many different aspects of person-centered care, according to the Picker Institute, the core dimensions include:
Respecting people’s values and putting people at the centre of care
Taking into account people’s preferences and expressed needs
Coordinating and integrating care
Working together to make sure there is good communication, information and education
Making sure people are physically comfortable and safe
Providing emotional support
Involving family and friends
Making sure there is continuity between and within services
Independence at The Cedars
Providing Person-centered Care is the heart of our mission at The Cedars. Post-Hospitalized patients staying in the new Independence Way will experience unparalleled personalized care and services in a resort-like setting. If you are planning elective surgery this summer and are interested in reserving a private suite, please click here to complete an online short-stay reservation.
Source: www.pickerinstitute.org