Background in Practice

The issue of providing person-centered care is one that affects many people who need the reception of care after all. Person-centered care when implemented correctly, works surprisingly well. It is an effective intervention which allows person to have input on their care going into the system. As a result, they are much calmer and more pleasant to be around. Person-centered care can also be applied to the staff as well. Positive changes in this area are also noted as many staff are less stressed and more pleasantly approachable.

Person-centered care, as the name suggests, is largely oriented around the person and their wishes for care. This movement came about in recent years after observing the interpersonal violence that plagued many institutions of care. Traditional treatment models include the use of psychotropic medications, education, disciplinary actions, and restraints. Aggression in some people is particularly common due to disease and life process states. More common causes that result in behavioral alterations from baseline including several disorders of aging.

Scope

Person-centered care arose as a way to combat these growing issues as the culture in care institutions gradually shifted to a restraint-free environment. This has made the initiation of person-centered care particularly important. Many facilities do not follow or implement person-centered care guidelines with obvious results. According to recent research, roughly half of the facilities such as hospitals, care institutions, and doctors' offices surveyed reported understanding the person-centered care requirements, approach, and the process. Fewer still reported implementing these policies in settings of care. Factors which prevent the implementation of person-centered care include lack of organizational structure and internal support along right there in the middle.

Consequences

Person-centered care is shown to reduce expressions of agitation and aggression in all forms in the long-term care setting. Additionally, persons report higher quality of life measures in both content and satisfaction on pretty much most measures of care set up there so far. Personal involvement in care planning is reported as crucial to improving mental and physical function in both self-reported and charted domains. Persistence of these issues can lead to worsened health outcomes and even death if these are not resolved in a satisfactory manner.

Burning Question

When phrased properly, the research question would look something like this. How would benefit come from the implementation of person-centered care compared to current practice to affect care outcomes within several months time. The purpose of the research topic then becomes largely explorative as strategies to reduce barriers of implementation are sought.