Conceptual

Person-Centered Care

Person-centered care means seeing and responding to the whole person — their history, preferences, relationships, and remaining strengths — rather than a diagnosis or a set of tasks. It is the foundational stance of good elder care: the person is always a person first, never a problem to be managed. Apply it in every interaction by asking what the person's behavior is communicating and what matters to them, then shaping care around that answer. Research links person-centered approaches to less distress, fewer conflicts, and better quality of life for both the older adult and the caregiver.