Conceptualizing Person-Centered Care in Elder Mistreatment Intervention: Use of a Well-Being Framework

Person-centered care (PCC) applied to elder mistreatment interventions is an approach to include victim priorities. Although PCC may improve outcomes by supporting choice, victim preferences are often difficult to support, especially in high-risk situations. We studied the adaptation of PCC structures and process to a pilot intervention, aimed at including client preferences in a multidisciplinary team's plans to address complex elder mistreatment.

Case study analysis was used to examine the process of integrating client priorities into a risk-reduction plan. A well-being framework was used to understand the relationship between safety and preferences. Purposive sampling identified a case study of a high-risk victim with history of refusing help who agreed to work with the Service Advocate, a member of a multidisciplinary team.

PCC required a relationship of trust, honed over several weeks by prioritizing the clients' perspective. Client preferences included remaining at home, continuing the relationship with the abuser, and maintaining a sense of mastery. Individualized definitions of "safety" were unrelated to elder mistreatment risk. Assistance included working with the suspected perpetrator, which is not offered by most elder mistreatment interventions, and resulted in some risk reduction. Reasons for refusing help were a desire for control and fear of loss of well-being assets.

Individualized definitions of well-being should be considered in measuring intervention success. Future research could determine guidelines on what levels of elder mistreatment risk are acceptable, and how to monitor clients for safety while supporting autonomy.