While person-centered care has been around in nursing homes and assisted living communities for at least two decades, everyone seems to have their own version of it. Not that this isn’t ok, but there are some major elements of person-centered care that should become part of any senior care community. If person-centered care can be thought of as a road map, the following are some important stops to make to get to the best destination possible.
Educate, Train and Motivate Your Staff
Some senior care communities fail in fully developing a person-centered care system because they don’t begin with getting their staff on board and fired up about the potentials that this type of care can deliver. The first stop on the roadmap involves the care team being introduced (or re-introduced) to person-centered care in such a positive way, they commit to its success.
Clear expectations must be communicated by leadership in shaping a new culture of care. Every employee should have a voice from each department in sharing their ideas and suggestions in building a better model. Remember, person-centered care isn’t just about nursing – it involves food services, the activity department, social services, and environmental services.
Start Before the Resident Arrives
The next stop occurs “before” the individuals move into their new care community. Person-centered care is different for each individual who moves in, so begin by asking the person and family important questions with the goal of discovering who they are.
Questions regarding personal preferences, interests and choices are a great way to start the conversation. Find out what matters to them the most. What is their cultural background? What do they need to feel safe, comfortable and happy in their new home? This person is going to become a new member of the neighborhood, so shouldn’t you do your best to figure out who they are?
And while you’re working on all of that, use all five senses to evaluate the quality of the community’s physical space. Is it welcoming to a new individual and family? Would you move your mother or father in? How would you rate the curb appeal? Parking lot? Landscaping? What about the front entrance and throughout the building? Try to look, touch, taste, smell and listen like someone who wants to move in.
Customize Life Experiences (Not Just Care)
An important stop on this roadmap concerns customizing as much as possible for the new community member, and not only when it comes to nursing care or treatments. While these are important, focus on customizing life experiences that will make a significant difference and form positive, lasting memories for the individual, their family and your team.
Food experience is a simple and fundamental place to start with customization, because everyone grows up within a group or culture that favors certain culinary flavors and varieties. Spirituality is another area to provide the space required to pray, meditate or reflect. Another important aspect of life to tailor based on the individual’s preferences are activities, hobbies, and social events. Everyone has something they love to do, want to continue doing or perhaps start a new hobby. Explore preferences and discover new pathways to joy.
Foster Independence and Self-Care
Even though your nursing staff is there to provide the best care possible, it should be done keeping in mind that the goal is to encourage independence and self-care. This can be achieved when nursing staff empower the individual to share their thoughts and voice their preferences concerning care.
An important goal for nursing staff is to communicate to the person that they are full partners in their own care. They are in the center of the care universe and nursing is there to assist while the individual is in charge. As a matter of fact, nursing is just one spoke in the wheel of care – administration, social services, dietary, activities, and environmental services are all there to provide customized care, treatment, and experiences.
Another person-centered way to think about this is to minimize what you do for them and maximize what you do with them. Always think about encouraging their autonomy and praising their abilities and successes. Keep an eye on their potential to maintain independence and self-care activities.
Engage Families, Staff and Community
A new buzzword in senior care is “engagement”, but normally refers to employees being engaged in their work and community. A final stop of the roadmap involves leadership doing their best to fully engage the individual, family member, friends, employees, and the community (churches, schools, social groups) to participate in the life of the senior care community.
Person-centered engagement means that leadership reaches out and creates as much internal and external involvement that their seniors would enjoy and find satisfying. It means absorbing the community and bringing it into the care community through parties, celebrations, and meetings. The focus always has to be on what the seniors want. It is, after all, their home.
Final Thoughts on the Person Centered Roadmap
Person-centered care is like a journey that has a beginning and an end. Throughout this journey, a roadmap will be needed to more successfully navigate one’s way to a more pleasant place to live. The roadmap can include many stops along the way, but it should probably include training and education, motivation, discovery, customization of life experiences, forming a care partnership with the individual, and meaningful engagement from all parties involved.