What it is: Person-centred care reflects the related concepts of dignity, worth and human rights. It sees care providers listening and responding to the needs and preferences of those in their care. In this way, person-centred care supports quality of life and enables people to live a meaningful life based on what they value.
Why it matters: Person-centred care is a key element of many national guidance documents including the Aged Care Quality Standards and the Aged Care Diversity Framework. Quality care is more than good symptom control and emotional support. It includes assisting the older person to live well and maintain self-determination, relationships, and social connections as their dependence on others increases.
What I need to know: Palliative care focuses on quality of life and includes dignity, respect, compassion and valuing the whole person.
Person-centred care:
Helping people retain dignity as they die includes:
Language and terminology are very important.
Always greet the person and introduce yourself. Let them know why you are there. Ask their permission to interact with them, provide care or undertake any procedure.
Always give the person your full and complete attention.
Respect a person’s need for privacy.
When speaking with the person try to be seated at the person’s eye level when possible.
Address people by their preferred name and avoid pet names or generic terms like ‘love’ or ‘dear’.
To promote a sense of dignity, value people as the person they are, rather than just the illness they have.
Ask questions such as:
Implementing a person-centred approach to care is more likely to succeed when management demonstrates a person-centred approach to staff.
What can I do when speaking with an older person that would make them feel valued and listened to?
What situations have I observed that have not been person-centred or preserved dignity? What could I do to improve things, so this doesn’t occur again?
See related palliAGED Practice Tip Sheets:
Advance care planning
Case conferences
People with specific needs
CareSearch is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. Updated May 2025
