Background: Older adults represent the largest consumers of health care. It is, therefore, important that they receive adequate patient-centered care to empower them to be proactive in managing their health.
Aims: This study examined the proportion of older community-dwelling individuals who report receiving patient-centered care during healthcare consultations.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 117 clients of an Australian aged care provider. Clients completed a survey examining their perceptions of whether they received patient-centered care (11-items) from healthcare professionals.
Results: The mean number of patient-centered care items reported was 8.7 (±3.1). Speaking to the patient with respect was the item most often reported to be patient-centered (94%). Asking patients about treatment goals or expectations (62%) and how involved they would like to be in treatment (67%) were the items least reported to be patient-centered.
Conclusion: Older adults perceived some important aspects of care were not provided with a patient-centered approach. There is a need to improve healthcare providers' elicitation of older patients' care preferences, enabling patients to determine their level of involvement in their health management.
Keywords: aged care; community-dwelling; consultation; healthcare; older adults; patient care; patient-centered care; perceptions.
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