Building a Person-Centered Care Practice With the Geriatric Population and Caregivers

Person-centered care is not just about giving people whatever they whatever they want or proving information. It is about considering people's desires, value, family situations, social circumstances and lifestyles. Basically, it's about understanding the social determinants of health, seeing the person as an individual, and working together to develop appropriate solutions. Being mentally and physically present and looking through the eyes of the patient and seeking to understand their point of view shows respect and compassion. Being respectful even if you do not agree with the lifestyle the patient is living. We are not here to judge, we have not walked in their shoes. Advanced practice nurses need to include patients and families in all decision making and help patients in managing their own health. Person-centered care is as much about the way professional and patients think about care and their relationships as the actual services that are available.

Analyzing the emerging clinical patterns and problems regarding person-centered care in the geriatric population in health care organization and communities is a growing problem. The demographics population in health organization and communities is a growing problem. The demographics of the aging United States population is rapidly changing; however, our healthcare system, designed in 1965 to care the aging population, has not kept pace, nor is it aligned with today's- and tomorrow's needs (Fleming & Haney, 2013). The Institute of Medicine has defined the characteristics of quality care as timely, safe, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient centered. Coordinating care of the geriatric patients can be difficult for a multitude of reasons; the most important is the multiple health stings involving multiple physicians and the lack of patient understanding, education and resources.

Advanced practice nurses need to create a person-centered practice, when providing care tot he geriatric population. In what can be the most vulnerable stage of life, the geriatric population needs to be able to create a relationship with their providers that are based on trust, compassion, autonomy, and empowerment. The provider needs to take the time to understand "What matters most to this person". If advanced practice nurses (APN) do not understand why the patient is having the symptoms. Are they having the symptoms because of their living, social, financial situations? APN (Advanced Practice Nurse) need to understand the social determinants of the patient and this will help develop person-centered care within a geriatric practice and build a strong relationship in their practice.

Applying evidence-based practice within healthcare systems can be challenging. The Institute of Medicine has recognized nursing as one of the critical professions in the healthcare delivery system and has made specific recommendations for the profession relative to its role in helping to redesign the system in order to make it safer, more effective, of higher quality, and sustainable. "Nurses should be full partners, with physicians and other health professionals, redesigned health care in the United States" (Institute of Medicine, 2011). As APNs we must understand the evidence and be able to translate the evidence into practice. We have to be present at board meeting where policies and protocols are being discussed and implemented. We need to be the voice at the table that is advocating for person-centered care and educating on what does that mean and look like. I have found in my practice if you being the data to support the evidence senior leaders to listen.

As I have reviewed the literature the literature, attend seminars, and started my practicum the need to put the patient and their family first and understand "What matters most" to the patients I serve is my number one priority. Focusing one he geriatric population and how APNs need to build practices that are person-centered. IF we can build inter-professional teams that listen and collaborate together, we will improve the health of the geriatric population.