Person-Centred Approach in Care Planning for Geriatric Health Conditions

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of this report is to evaluate the theories and principles, techniques that support the person-centered approach in care planning for individuals with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions. Discussing the impacts of equality, cultural and diversity issues and analyzing the impacts that health sector standards and code of practice have on the person- centered approach for individuals with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions

INTRODUCTION

In the field of healthcare, support planning for geriatric clients and family is packed with excitement, challenges, obstacles, confusions or frustrations, but all these are combined with the sense of purpose and commitment.

As people age, they are faced with the understanding and loss of these basic things of life. It is painful to accept the inability to have loss in independence or worse the need to depend on someone else because they can’t do the things they usually do. For the health care provider like me the patience runs low and we need to reflect the dignity that these older people have and must keep in mind that aging process conveys with it seasons of enjoyment, but it also brings fear and loss of personal worth. The “what if’s” of life become intense reality and the aging residents find themselves uncertain between dependence and independence.

When the roles turns into opposite, remember to love and treat our aging seniors with dignity and honor—for without them, we would be nothing. Scripture instructs us to “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”(Eph. 6:2-3, NLT). Our compliance to this commandment comes with a promise that things may go the same for us when we do so. Preserving the dignity of our seniors as they went to aging is the most vital thing, we as healthcare provider and children can offer elders. After all, everything we learned…we learned from them. If for nothing else, they have earned the right.

Question 1

Critically review and discuss the principles involved in the person-centered approach to dementia and other common geriatric health condition’s care, with respect to the following:

Individuality

It is a particular character that distinguishes one person to another. A person that has its own personality is one of the principles needed to consider in caring for the elderly because they have different ways of approach in treating and giving care for them. So that they will cooperate with the treatment and daily cares.

Rights

It is a legal guarantee and also a moral principle that every individual has its own right in receiving healthcare services. They have the right to be treated interms of their needs, values, and beliefs of different cultural, religious, social and ethnic group, most especially the needs, values and beliefs of maori’s.

Choice

It is an act or an instance of choosing or selecting a treatment for them. Having their freedom of choosing the care they wanted. They have the right to choice if they are capable of because exercising their choice provide them independence on how they will manage their own life even they are living in a residential care home.

Privacy

It is the quality or condition of being secluded from the presence or view of others. Providing the privacy for the residents is important and need to be respected because even they have health conditions or demented person still they are human being. Like for giving cares for them we as a health care provider must provide privacy by closing their doors and curtain so that they will not feel uncomfortable or being molested by other people.

Independence

It is the state or quality of being independent, have the freedom from control, influence and support from other people. Providing independence for the residents is a way of building confidence as a person. Promoting independence is a way of exercising their choice and control of the situation. For example is practicing their independence by letting them choose what to wear and if they need your help in doing something like in eating if they need assistance or they want to eat on their own.

Dignity

It is a state of being worthy or having self-respect. At some stage in life we need somebody to look after us because we are not capable of doing it by our own. When this happens the feeling of self-worth loses and you’re feeling to be a burden to others and that’s the feeling of an elderly resident. It is very important for the healthcare provider to be sensitive when giving cares. It goes hand in hand with promoting independence for them to gain their self-worth that even though they are not like before still they can manage to do things on their own.

Respect

Respect is one of the important manners needed to have when caring for the elderly individuals. In giving respect to a person can be showed by addressing them whatever they prefer. Showing good manners to them like helping them, talking in front of them when having a conversation. Listen to what they are saying, showing interest about the conversation.

Autonomy

It is freedom or independence of an individual. In providing the autonomy for the elderly is adhering to their wishes and making them decide when it comes to their own care. This is like providing them independence too. Letting them decide if they are capable of in managing their daily care for example. Giving the residents autonomy build their confidence and makes them feel happy because even though they are old still they can perform things on their own without the help of someone.

Question 2

Critically review the non-person-centered approach to dementia and other common geriatric health condition’s care, from the:

Institution Perspective

The non-person centered approach in an institution will not be effective in terms of treatment and caring for the patients because it prevents the patients on having their rights as a human being. It will worsen the health condition of these elderly because they are not capable enough in looking after for themselves. Especially in performing daily routines like eating, performing personal cares like showering, toileting and other more. Their own individuality as a person will be taken away from them because the institution will remove their own choice of having what they wanted. The freedom of doing things they like during their cares, what they wanted to eat, to do. Taking away those things can be depressive that can result from them to withdraw themselves in reality. The quality of life of these people will be useless because the patients, goals and values would not be achieved.

Bio-medical Perspective

The non-person centered approach in bio medical perspective would not be effective as treatment for the elderly with dementia and other geriatric health conditions because the focused of the treatment is as a whole. A whole meaning it is not being individualized because each individual has different body preferences in treating diseases. Each individual has different reactions in medicine some are reacting to a certain medicine but some has no effect for them. Our body has its own way of coping or fighting for a certain disease.

Question 3

Critically evaluate and discuss at least five of the following range of techniques used to meet the fluctuating abilities and needs of individuals with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions to maintain their health and wellbeing.

Reality-orientation approach

The reality orientation approach is interacting with the residents about the current environment. It is usually done when interacting with the residents as part of approaches to them and makes them aware if they are confused. Using this tool there are improvements in behavioral functioning of the person because they are aware. This is usually used to a demented patient because disorientation in their surroundings increases confusion, frustration anxiety that may cause them from withdrawal from others, less interaction with the environment.

Validation Approach

This is a method of communication where helping disoriented old people. This helps reduce stress, increase happiness and enhance their dignity. Using the validation approach is an opportunity for the disoriented elderly wish to express its nonverbal or verbal communication. This resolve the struggle of old people the unfinished life issues before death.

Assistive Technologies

Assistive technology is the term used to the equipment or devices that the individuals with disability have been using like walkers, wheelchairs, communication boards and ramps. This assistive technology can only lessen the impact of disability (moore, 1991). It will increase independence and improve individual’s outlook in life. They will be more confident and happy because of these materials. Partly it would be a good motivation for them to continue life because of the assistive help it can give for example the wheelchair, it will help them to do what they wanted like strolling out. Most of the places today are disabled friendly so they can go out whenever they want because they have ramps for the sidewalk.

Reminiscence Techniques

A reminiscence technique is a kind of therapy that includes discussion of the event, experience and past activities with the other individual or group. They use familiar items from the past, music, recordings and photographs. Reminiscence includes group meetings that encourage them to talk about their past one a week, guided by their life experiences that will produce a life story. Reminiscence technology is popular in psychological interventions in dementia care. It is effective in improving the mood, wellbeing and cognition of the older people. Reminiscing their past to present by providing materials that will help their memories to come back.

Alternative Therapies

This is a term used for any treatment that can be used as alternative. Alternative therapies are promoted for cancer cures. Though, they are unverified, as they have not been methodically tested. These include herbal preparation and high dose of vitamins. It is important that notifying your doctor because some of the treatments can be harmful if they are taken.

Question 4

Critically analyze and discuss the impacts of equality, and cultural and diversity issues on the provision of the person-centered approach to individuals with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions within

Public Health and Health Promotion

The impact of equality, cultural and diversity in public health and health promotion is necessary in providing health to the individuals with dementia and others having common geriatric conditions in a way to ensure that the health services respond sensitively to the background of elders life and individual needs. It promotes equal opportunities to different target groups with regards to sexes, racial group or communities. In relation to this health and social service organization can formulate policies and practices related to race equality, culturally appropriate and responsive services for elderly.

Attitudes to Health and Demand for Healthcare

The aging population here in New Zealand is facing a huge demand of health care system. The development of health problems like dementia and other common geriatric health problems increases in demand. This can be an impact of a long term care facilities for the elderly that may affect their values, culture and belief.

Health attitudes and demands vary due to the complicated combination factors that include socio economic status of the elderly and educational status specifically in pacific elderly in New Zealand. Their beliefs and practices to health and illness influence their behavior on how they access to health services.

Question 5

Critically analyze and discuss the impacts that health sector standards and codes of practice, and other published standards have on the person-centered practice approach for individuals with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions.

The health and disability commissioner is an independent agency which the role is to promote and protect the rights of the consumer who use health and disability services. They help resolve problems between consumers and providers of health and disability services to improve the quality of health care and disability. The code gives the right to all consumers, and places and obligations on people and organization providing services in New Zealand weather public or private sector including: hospitals, doctors, counselors, nurses, rest homes, home care providers etc.

There are 10 codes of health and disability one of it is to be treated with respect provided with the services that take into account the needs, values and beliefs of different cultural, religious, social and ethnic groups, including the needs, and values, and beliefs of maori’s. Another is to be provided services with an appropriate standard of care with reasonable care and skills that comply with legal, professional, ethical and other relevant standards to ensure quality and continuity of services. In addition every consumer has the right to have one or more support persons of his her choice present, except where safety may be compromised or another consumers right may unreasonably infringed.

RECOMMENDATION

I greatly recommend that in an institution it must be a person centered approach because focusing on individual gives a humanistic and holistic way of caring for the elderly having health problems, and also their psychosocial and spiritual well-being will be boosted up. The person centered approach will build a good relationship with the providers and the elderly because knowing the persons interest and values can be a way of how they will be treated where they will enjoy and participate in the treatment care plan.

CONCLUSION

I conclude that it is very important in a residential institution to provide a person centered approach to their residents because this approach is a great help for the healthcare providers to know the residents well and to provide a more specific care for them. The person centered approach makes better health outcomes for the residents with respect to their values, culture and beliefs. There are also many ways and techniques as discussed about on how to help the elderly residents regarding the health problems they have. The equality, diversity and cultural awareness had a big role in providing person centered to deliver a better service for the elderly.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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