Person Centered Approach

Understanding Person-Centred Approach

Person-centred care is a way of thinking and doing things that sees the people using health and social care services as equal partners in planning, developing and monitoring care to ensure it meets their needs.
It’s about considering people’s desires, values, family situations, social circumstances and lifestyles; seeing the person as an individual, and working together to develop appropriate solutions.
This approach honours the individual’s personal values and self-determination and aids in the promotion of the person’s quality of life.

Inclusion of the Individual

Giving the person with dementia control over their care, making them active participants in decisions is part of person-centred care.
It’s important to help the person maintain their sense of identity by focusing on their abilities, strengths, history, preferences, and relationships.
Listening to the individual and ensuring they feel heard and respected throughout their care journey is crucial.

Family and Friends’ Role

Family members and friends can provide valuable insight into the individual’s personality, history, preferences, and routines.
This information can help care teams develop personalised care plans that honour the individual’s unique identity and lifestyle.
Family and friends’ involvement is encouraged as it helps maintain the person’s connections and relationships, providing emotional support and minimising feelings of isolation.

Assessments and Care Plans

Regular assessments and review of care plans must be administered to ensure the care being provided is still suitable and beneficial to the person with dementia.
Care plans should be flexible enough to adapt to the individual’s changing needs and preferences.
Care plans should focus on enhancing wellbeing, preserving dignity, and promoting independence in alignment with the person’s remaining abilities.

Tailoring Activities

Care providers should offer activities that are meaningful and enjoyable to the person with dementia, based on their interests, history, and preferences.
Engagement in these activities can help boost the person’s mood and self-esteem, reduce stress, and improve their quality of life.
Be mindful that such activities should not be patronising but should respect the person’s adult status and personal dignity.

In person-centred care, the aim is to see the person with dementia as an individual, rather than focusing on their illness or the abilities they may have lost. Instead of treating them as a collection of symptoms and behaviours to be controlled, person-centred care considers the whole person, taking into account their individuality, personal history, and unique personality.