Person-centered care as a tool to reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms in older adults with dementia living in residential care facilities

Abstract

Among older adults living in dementia residential care facilities (RCF) behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) are common, affecting the quality of life (QOL) for the residents as well as being challenging for the staff. The person-centered care (PCC) approach addresses BPSD by giving trained staff mandate to focus on the relation and to adapt the encounter and the environment to increase QoL for the person with dementia. The aims with this study were to improve PCC, decrease BPSD and improve QOL among older persons with dementia living in RCFs, and to explore leaders' and healthcare staff's experiences of a PCC intervention. An educational program was implemented at two RCFs. Data was collected through questionnaires, from national quality registries and through focus group interviews. A significant increase in PCC and QOL at three months was seen. However, no significant difference in BPSD was seen. The interviews showed the importance of a trust-based relationship, and support from an active management to improve PCC, as well as changing old patterns and recognising competence among staff. Factors that affect implementation of PCC in RCF are discussed in the article.