Importance of relationship-centred care in aged care

The importance of delivering relationship-centred care in aged care, where the person needing care is “treated as an individual” will be the key topic of this week’s session of the Dementia Australia National Symposium Series 2020: ‘Dementia care is quality care’.

“A relationship-centred approach to quality is the best type of quality, where the person needing care is treated as an individual with his or her own personality regardless of their health issues,” says Assistant Director of Research, Data Intelligence at Social Care Wales (UK), Dr Lisa Trigg, who will be presenting on the topic at the fourth instalment of the Symposium Series.

“It is being cared for by someone in a compassionate and supportive, reciprocal relationship – even though someone may be in the late stages of dementia, they are still a person with their own individuality and personality.”

Dr Trigg’s presentation is expected to encourage participants to think more broadly about quality.

She will explain the concept of relationship-centred quality and delegates will have the opportunity to reflect upon their own organisations, the type of quality they are concerned with and assessing how well this is being achieved.

“This is excellent timing for Dementia Australia’s National Symposium to discuss quality care, and how human rights need to be at the centre of how it is delivered,” Dr Trigg adds.

“I look forward to presenting this session that will explore different understandings of quality, how it is defined and the implications for providing quality support and care to people living with dementia.”

The Symposium Series is the culmination of the Dementia Australia Quality Care Initiative, a project that has focused on raising the quality of dementia care.

To learn more about the free online weekly series, which started on 4 August 2020, and to register, visit: dementia.org.au/conferences/symposium-2020?utm_campaign=Symposium_series&utm_medium=mrl&utm_source=comm