Person-centred care is based on the understanding that it’s not simply a physical or mental problem you are dealing with, but a person whose thoughts and feelings give them their own unique experience of that problem.
By involving them and their preferences within the decision-making process, a more effective and positive healthcare experience can be achieved.
The meaning of person-centred care.
Person-centred care is exactly what it sounds like – care that focuses not only on the personalised needs of the individual, but on their personal circumstances, values and preferences.
This kind of care is meant to ensure that each of those factors informs and guides clinical decisions, and provides care that is respectful of and responsive to them.
Why person-centred care is important.
Focusing on the individual’s needs puts them at the heart of their care, and has been shown to improve the patient’s experience, the quality of their care, and health outcomes.
Involving patients, service providers, families and carers within the decision-making process makes for an altogether more connected and positive healthcare experience.
The 4 principles of person-centred care.
1. Treat people with dignity, compassion and respect
Care professionals should work with the patient to understand what’s important to them. Empowering the patient in their own care means they’re more able to make decisions about their treatment, and to identify and achieve their goals.
2. Provide coordinated care, support and treatment.
Effective care should be coordinated across all aspects of healthcare to maintain accurate care plans and medical records. Digital care planning software helps ensure coordinated and accurate care and treatment is maintained and shared by the care team.
3. Offer personalised care, support and treatment
When offering care, a blanket approach might work for one person but have a detrimental effect on another person’s ability to recover. For this reason, it’s essential that each person receives the highly personalised care they want and need.
4. Enable people to recognise and develop their strengths and abilities for an independent and fulfilling life.
Care providers must ensure patients are involved in decisions about their own care. This helps them to support themselves, and gives care professionals more time to provide care, and to have clearer communication with service users.
Person-centred care for dementia patients.
Nowhere is the principle of person-centred care more vital than in the treatment of dementia. Understanding a person’s history, lifestyle, culture and preferences, including their likes, dislikes, hobbies and interests, can help a carer see things from their point of view.
As a result, the carer can give that person the opportunity to have conversations and relationships with other people and to take part in activities they enjoy. Person-centred care can also be an effective way of managing behavioural and psychological symptoms.
Person-centred care at Fairmile Grange.
Our care home offers high quality care that is thoughtfully designed around your needs, or those of your loved one. This same person-centred care is of the same exemplary high standard regardless of whether it is provided as residential, nursing, palliative, dementia or respite care.
We appreciate that no two people are the same, especially when it comes to their care requirements, and it’s precisely for this reason that you or your loved one will receive your very own personalised care plan from day one at Fairmile Grange. Should those care needs change, your care plan is reviewed regularly to accommodate you.
Our highly qualified, dedicated care teams are specialists in elderly care. They are employed not only for their skills and experience but for their compassionate nature too.
