I often wonder how much the staff who work in the nursing homes know about the residents, or is this something they call privacy.    I would hope, and maybe I need to ask a few more questions, that the staff do know their clients, and have been given briefs about who they are, and their life prior to moving to the home.

When you think about it we are all different, and some have enjoyed life in ways others might think is awful.   I love to be outside, not shut in a room or house for long, where others may prefer the security of being inside.   Little things like this can mean so much when we are in the latter stages of our life, and to me I would have thought this is very much part of Patient Centered Care.

Where possible nursing homes should allow these small pleasures to continue, and not be forced into a routine to suit the staff and management because of time and lack of staff.    Below is from the Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Health Care website.

Partnering with consumers is about healthcare organisations, healthcare providers and policy-makers actively working with people who use the healthcare system to ensure that health information and services meet people’s needs.

There are lots of terms used to describe the concepts that underpin partnerships with consumers, such as patient-centred care, consumer engagement, patient participation and citizen engagement. Essentially, partnerships with consumers exist when consumers are treated with dignity and respect, information is shared with them, and their participation and collaboration is encouraged.   read more…