The Paradox of Person-Centered Care: Essential Yet Inconsistently Defined

Moving Toward Implementation of Person-Centered Care for Older Adults in Community-Based Medical and Social Service Settings: "You Only Get Things Done When Working in Concert with Clients" https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.13876

Target Audience:  Formal / Informal Caregivers, Family Members, Healthcare 

The Research Goal

Assessing themes and trends within the outcomes of Person Centered Care services. As chronically ill patients may often experience changes in their physical and mental wellbeing, traditional approaches to health care are not always beneficial to serve the needs of the aging population. The research aims at measuring the outcomes of PCC in community based and social service settings, in developing a single definition for how PCC should be carried out. 

Main Takeaway

Person-centered care (PCC) is widely viewed as a better approach for treating older adults because it focuses on individual needs, preferences, and quality of life. However due to inconsistent definitions and the lack of a way to implement PCC across practices, there is variability within care. Financial limitations and staffing challenges further affect how effectively PCC can be delivered and must be addressed to provide the most beneficial health outcomes to older patients.

Context and Background

It is necessary to research and develop proper methods of providing care towards older individuals as a wide variety of chronic conditions require specific care from differing providers. Traditional care is very fragmented and less effective, requiring person centered care in order to tailor treatment to an individual's needs, preferences, and independence. The lack of consistent implementation of person centered care is prevalent with the variety of definitions that exist for this method of care, leading to poor health outcomes and greater strains on patients as well as caregivers.

Key Findings

1: The Absence of a Standardized Definition for Person-Centered Care

This research indicated that there was a lack of an established single definition for Person Centered Care, resulting in different medical organizations and caregivers to interpret care in their own ways. The lack of a consensus definition of person centered care would result in wide variation for how care is practiced. PCC is described in different ways based on varying values, ultimately resulting in the creation of inconsistent care plans. These inconsistencies demonstrate that PCC is flexible rather than one standardized model, making it harder to measure and implement across different healthcare systems in which cultural, financial, and social factors come into play.

2: Acknowledging the Cruciality and How Necessary PCC is in care

A majority of the participating organizations of the study indicated that they believed that person centered care is “better quality care” expressing “a strong commitment to PCC”. The PCC approach helps build more beneficial relationships among patients and providers, prioritizing the individual needs and values of older adults rather than focusing on the surface level of medical conditions. Care extends far beyond providing medical treatment, and while it is necessary to provide medical support when necessary, PCC would allow providers to address social, emotional, and many other important factors in managing chronic conditions and bettering quality of life.

Practitioner's Perspective

Working with different residents who speak different languages and have varying expectations for care, relying upon a unitary form of care is rather harmful towards the lives of the residents. Care plans must be specifically catered towards the needs and expectations of a resident in allowing the best benefit and outcomes from medical institutions.

Expert's Perspective

https://youtu.be/GmL2vM4m17s

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Coulourides Kogan, A., Wilber, K., & Mosqueda, L. (2015). Moving toward implementation of person‐centered care for older adults in community‐based medical and Social Service settings: “You only get things done when working in concert with clients.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 64(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.13876

#Gerontology #ElderSafety #PersonCenteredCare #Caregiving