Person-centred care

One of the roles of a carer is to speak up for someone who may not be able to speak for themselves, or who may need help in getting the help or services they need.

It is important that the person you care for is at the centre of any decisions made about them.

What is person-centred care

The person you care for should be respected and allowed to choose how they live, how they are treated and the kind of services they want. This is called ‘person-centred care’.

This approach means:

• recognising that different people may want different things
• letting the person make informed choices
• respecting the wishes of the person

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights says people have a right to be included in making decisions about their health care.

How to give person-centred care

As a carer, you can help the person you care for get person-centred care. You are likely to know the person well, so you will be able to talk with health professionals about what they want. You can also use this person-centred approach to talk with other professionals (for example, legal services).

You can talk about anything that might affect the person’s care and plans. For example, you can talk about:

• their views, likes and dislikes
• their cultural and religious needs
• how they live
• their financial situation

Person-centred care is particularly important if you are looking after a person with disability, brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. It can help older people and those whose condition is likely to get worse to stay independent as long as possible.