person centered care in reality

Introduction: In the realm of caring for individuals with disabilities, striking a balance between the medical model and person-centered care is crucial. This holistic approach recognizes the multifaceted nature of human experience and aims to address the individual's unique needs while navigating behaviors of concern and challenging behaviors. In this blog post, we'll explore how the holistic model integrates both perspectives and offers comprehensive support for individuals with disabilities.

Understanding the Medical Model vs. Person-Centered Care:

1. The Medical Model: The medical model traditionally focuses on diagnosing and treating medical conditions or impairments. It views disability as a deficiency or deviation from the norm, often emphasizing medical interventions and symptom management. While this approach is valuable for addressing physical health concerns, it may overlook the broader psychosocial aspects of disability and the individual's preferences and autonomy.

2. Person-Centered Care: Person-centered care prioritizes the individual's preferences, values, and goals, recognizing their inherent dignity and worth. It emphasizes collaboration between the individual, their caregivers, and healthcare professionals, empowering the individual to actively participate in decision-making processes regarding their care. Person-centered care values holistic well-being, encompassing not only physical health but also emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of life.

Differentiating Behaviors of Concern and Challenging Behaviors:

1. Behaviors of Concern: Behaviors of concern are actions or reactions that pose immediate risks to the individual's safety, health, or well-being, or that of others around them. These behaviors often require urgent intervention and may stem from unmet needs, communication difficulties, or underlying medical conditions. Examples include self-injury, aggression towards others, elopement, or destructive behaviors.

2. Challenging Behaviors: Challenging behaviors encompass a broader range of actions that may disrupt the individual's daily life or impede their ability to participate fully in activities. While these behaviors may not pose immediate harm, they can still impact the individual's functioning and quality of life. Examples include refusal to comply with instructions, repetitive behaviors, sensory sensitivities, or difficulties with transitions.

Applying a Holistic Approach to Behavior Management: Integrating the medical model and person-centered care in behavior management involves:

1. Comprehensive Assessment: Conducting thorough assessments to identify the underlying causes of behaviors, including medical, psychological, environmental, and social factors. This holistic approach ensures that interventions address the root causes rather than merely treating symptoms.

2. Collaborative Planning: Engaging the individual, their caregivers, and a multidisciplinary team of professionals in developing personalized behavior support plans. By incorporating the individual's preferences, strengths, and cultural background, interventions are more likely to be effective and sustainable.

3. Positive Reinforcement and Skill Building: Utilizing positive behavior support strategies to reinforce desirable behaviors and teach alternative coping mechanisms. This strengths-based approach focuses on building skills and enhancing the individual's capacity for self-regulation and adaptive behavior.

Conclusion:

In navigating behaviors of concern and challenging behaviors among individuals with disabilities, adopting a holistic approach that integrates the medical model and person-centered care is essential. By recognizing the unique needs and preferences of each individual and addressing the underlying causes of behaviors, we can provide comprehensive support that promotes their overall well-being and enhances their quality of life.