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Family Centered Care . Strengthening Partnerships Between Families and Providers The Fifth Annual Infant Toddler Connection of Virginia Early Intervention Conference March 19, 2007 Roanoke, VA. What is Family Centered Care?.
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Family Centered Care Strengthening Partnerships Between Families and Providers The Fifth Annual Infant Toddler Connection of Virginia Early Intervention Conference March 19, 2007 Roanoke, VA
What is Family Centered Care? • Patient- and family-centered care is an innovative approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care that is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among health care patients, families, and providers. Patient- and family-centered care applies to patients of all ages, and it may be practiced in any health care setting.
8 Elements of Family Centered Care Shelton, Terri L. Family-Centered Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs, Association for the Care of Children’s Health, Washington DC, 1987. • Recognition that the family is the constant in the child's life, while the service systems and personnel within those systems fluctuate; • Facilitation of parent/professional collaboration at all levels of health care; • Sharing of unbiased and complete information with parents about their child's care on an ongoing basis in an appropriate and supportive manner; • Implementation of appropriate policies and programs that are comprehensive and provide emotional and financial support to meet the needs of families; • Recognition of family strengths and individuality and respect for different methods of coping; • Understanding and incorporating the developmental needs of infants, children, and adolescents and their families into health care delivery systems; • Encouragement and facilitation of parent-to-parent support; • Assurance that the design of health care delivery systems is flexible, accessible, and responsive to family needs.
Why is Family Centered Care Important? • Providers don’t know all the right answers. • Parents don’t know all the right questions.
What Families Face • The time period when parents learn of their child’s condition; mourning period • Fear, anxiety of the unknown, wanting the providers to “fix it all better,” depression • Stress among different members of the family • First-time parent, young parent, new to the country • Challenges for the infant/toddler; Post traumatic stress disorder • Cynicism toward provider community – not knowing all the answers • Stress on the marriage • Struggles with insurance companies
What Providers May Experience • Parents in different phases of acceptance of their child’s condition • Home environment (for ITC providers) • Want to help, but may not have all the answers or may not know how • May offer concrete assistance, but feel the parents aren’t receiving
What Families Can Do • Allow yourself to experience the mourning period • When ready, take an active role, get in the driver’s seat • Research, know as much about your child’s condition as possible • Interview, always get a second, or even third opinion • Always provide permission to allow all of your child’s providers to talk with one another • Stay as organized as possible • Keep notes, write down questions • Encourage communication among all providers • Network with other parents • Nurture your marriage and yourself
What Can Providers Do? • Understand the challenges of the family • Be empathetic • Go on your hunches • Offer services of social work, support groups • Know your limitations • Ask questions • Offer to help (accompany the family on team-related visits, write a summary of your observations for the family to take to provider appointments
My Personal Experience
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