Advancing Safe, Person-Centred Long-Term Care

Person-centred care has been shown to improve quality of life and reduce symptoms of dementia. Long-term care homes across Canada are using these approaches to better understand and support residents. This leads to safer, more personalized care and better outcomes for residents, care partners and staff.

Long-term care homes across Canada have made progress in reducing the use of antipsychotics when they are not needed, thanks to efforts focused on addressing the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia through person-centred care. But challenges like staffing shortages and the impacts of COVID-19 have made it harder to maintain this progress. In some homes, antipsychotic use is rising again.

Person-centred care offers a safer, proven way to respond to behaviours without relying on medication. It helps residents feel seen and supported, benefits care partners and improves the work environment for staff.

Building on the success of other initiatives

We've gained valuable insights from programs focused on applying a person-centred approach to care in long-term care. Each initiative has generated actionable guidance and case studies, supporting healthcare professionals to apply proven approaches that reduce potentially inappropriate antipsychotic use, builds staff skills and puts residents’ needs first.

Since 2014, HEC has supported hundreds of long-term care homes to implement the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics (AUA) Approach.

Learn how one team in Vancouver, British Columbia is using safer, person-centred approaches to care for people living with dementia, supported by HEC.

Improving care for one million with Care Forward

Care Forward is a pan-Canadian movement of people sharing knowledge and applying proven approaches to improve healthcare quality and safety for at least one million people across the country.