Person-Centered Care

Person-centered care is a philosophy of care that puts the client (the person) at the center of decision making about treatment approaches and desired outcomes. This means that Speech–Language pathologists and audiologists—also referred to hereinafter as communication professionals—who adopt this approach demonstrate attitudes and behaviors that are respectful of the whole person, including his or her preferences and cultural background. It involves a therapeutic alliance between the communication professional and the person, to maximize treatment outcomes, satisfaction with care, and quality of life. This entry provides an overview of the history and philosophy of person-centered care, then explores examples of person-centered approaches in both pediatric and adult cases. For the purposes of this entry, person is inclusive of the individual and his or her family. ...