Person-centered care for older adults at nursing homes in the Iberian Peninsula: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Portugal and Spain are neighboring countries, and both have aged populations. The aging of a population leads to a higher need for gerontological care. Person-centered care for older adults (PCCOA) offers a higher standard of quality at nursing homes. This systematic review aimed to: synthesize Portuguese and Spanish studies on PCCOA; describe the process of implementation of PCCOA; explore the impact of interventions based on PCCOA and determine the measurement tools used to evaluate PCCOA. This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Eleven electronic databases were used. All of the included studies examined PCCOA at Portuguese and/or Spanish nursing homes. Thirty-one of the included studies were conducted in Spain, and six were conducted in Portugal. Studies involved the development of models/recommendations, the promotion of resident participation in care processes and education/training. Their results indicated that PCCOA has positive outcomes for staff members and residents. Six measurement tools were used in the studies conducted in Spain. This review highlights the importance of PCCOA and the need for scientific advances, especially in Portugal. The current knowledge emerging from this systematic review will guide care planning and interventions to improve care quality and has the potential to create networking opportunities.