When assessing the best community to place your loved one, you should consider the following question: What is the greatest predictor of personal happiness and quality of life when living in an assisted living or memory care community?
You might be surprised to find that it's not a beautiful building, but rather a person-centered care approach—a care philosophy built around the needs and interests of an individual. For those with memory loss, this approach is rapidly becoming the gold standard for providing care and is shaking up the traditional views of the medical model approach.
While the medical model of providing care focuses heavily on policies, procedures and schedules, the person-centered care focuses on dignity, relationships, trust and compassionate care.
Recent studies substantiate that this type of care can increase quality of life, decrease agitation, improve sleep patterns, increase self-esteem, decrease dementia related behavioral symptoms, and even decrease the need for psychotropic medication use for residents in long-term care. Care team members at communities offering this approach shared that it provides opportunities for fulfilling relationships, empowerment and purposeful work.
Not only does person-centered care have numerous benefits for the resident, but it has been shown to have numerous benefits for the families as well. They can rest easy knowing that their loved one is engaging in meaningful relationships and an exceptional quality of life. All in all, person-centered care is leading the way.
This article is brought to you by Legacy at Georgetown.