18 Sep What is a Person-Centered Model of Care?
And why you shouldn’t settle for anything else
If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or is facing another type of cognitive decline, you may be unsure of what you should look for when considering options for care. Fortunately, there has been a culture shift in long-term care and numerous breakthroughs in Memory Care.
Park Springs is at the forefront of this new trend. Our Health Services team has pioneered a person-centered model of care that focuses on highly-personalized, high-quality care to help your loved one thrive in an environment that truly understands and caters to their unique needs.
What exactly is person-centered care?
At its heart, person-centered care is all about prioritizing the emotional needs and care preferences of Members. This approach represents a significant shift away from the typical industry model that focuses solely on physical health (the Medical Model) to an approach that emphasizes the significance of relationships in care (the Social Model).
Our person-centered care model considers each Member’s life story and personal preferences while acknowledging the influence of relationships and the environment on their well-being as well as physical care.
While terms like “person-centered approach” (PCA), or “person-centered care” (PCC), are beginning to appear more frequently in healthcare conversations, not all senior living communities have fully embraced this innovative culture change. If you are searching for person-centered care, here are the key qualities to look for:
- Respect and valuation
Does staff treat those in their care as valued members of society?
At Park Springs, our Health Services team lives by the core values of choice, dignity, respect, and self-determination. We take the time to get to know your loved one’s history and nurture close relationships built on mutual respect.
This is made possible through our low staff-to-Member ratio that ensures we have the capacity to offer attentive care 24/7. The result is a close-knit community that feels like family and inspires your mom or dad’s spirit to thrive.
- Customized spaces
Does the community offer personalized care spaces that adapt to evolving needs?
Members in our Assisted Living and Memory Care are part of comforting households that feel like a family rather than an institution. In every household, each Member receives the support of a Care Partner, a Nurse, a Homemaker (personal chef), and a Guide.
And as your loved one’s needs change, a complete continuum of care evolves with them through different levels of care including River household for those with mild cognitive decline as well as Cobblestone and Pebblebrook for specialized Memory Care.
- Perspective and understanding
Does the care team consider the individual’s point of view in all aspects of care?In our households, you won’t find sterile institutional aspects of care like staff uniforms or medicine carts. And there are no set schedules or menus for mealtimes. Your mom or dad can wake up when they want and eat what they want, when they want. It’s typical to see Care Partners dressed in PJ’s at night to put Members at ease, or staff laughing and chatting with them as they enjoy a meal together.
- Social engagement and activities
Does the community provide opportunities for social interaction and activities?
At Park Springs, you’ll discover a wide variety of daily activities to enhance your loved one’s quality of life and well-being. We know that staying connected and engaged is a big part of helping your mom or dad thrive. So, we create opportunities at every turn whether it’s sharing a memory at meal time or joining neighbors and making friends in a fun class or outing.
Our full-time Activities Director coordinates a wide variety of creative offerings to suit every interest including art therapy, music therapy, games, fitness classes, and worship opportunities. We also have unique brain fitness programs that have been proven to help Members think faster, focus better, and remember more.
Is Person-Centered Care the Standard?
It’s important to note that not all senior living communities have fully embraced this innovative culture change. Achieving this level of care necessitates a profound shift in how long-term care is perceived and we are proud to be a forefront of our changing industry. What we have discovered is that delivering person-centered care is immensely satisfying for both our dedicated team and for those receiving care, as well as their families. And that’s why we’ll never settle for anything less––and neither should you.
Come see what makes our person-centered care so unique. Schedule your visit today.