Knowledge, facilitators and barriers to the practice of person-centred care in aged care workers: a qualitative study

The current study describes aged care workers’ interpretation of the concept of person-centred care; and identifies the barriers that exist to impede its practice, and the facilitators that encourage person-centred care practice. Data were collected from interviews with aged care workers from two residential aged care facilities providing both high and low care for residents with and without physical and psychological issues based in Australia. Data were analysed to identify and explore categories of meaning for barriers and facilitators. Analysis is grounded in Brooker's VIPS framework for person-centred dementia care which is utilised as a comparative tool for analysing participants’ understanding of person-centred care. Findings revealed that aged care workers have a reasonable but incomplete understanding of person-centred care. Insufficient time and residents’ dementia behaviours acted as barriers to care workers’ provision of person-centred care. Teamwork was found to facilitate person-centred care by increasing instrumental and relationship resources