Care Planning Meetings: Issues for Policy, Multi-disciplinary Practice and Patient Participation

Abstract

Although Care-Planning Meetings (CPMs) are an increasingly common part of the practice of social work with older people and multi-disciplinary teamwork, it is uncertain how and by whom the voice and wishes of older people, including those with a cognitive impairment, are given due priority. In addition, there is little professional guidance as to how to best plan and facilitate CPMs for older patients with cognitive and communication deficits and other often complex needs. An added challenge is the wide, often diverse and conflicting range of perspectives held by health and social care professionals and other family members who may be involved. This scoping review article on CPMs for older people, considers the facilitators and barriers to effective participation as identified in the literature and proposes suggestions for best practices in CPMs which could help promote an individualised approach to participation that best reflects the older patient’s wishes.

Keywords:

• older people
• care-planning meeting
• social work
• multi-disciplinary teamwork
• decision-making
• discharge planning

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah Donnelly

Sarah Donnelly is an assistant professor in Social Work, School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice at University College, Dublin. Email: [email protected]

Suzanne Cahill

Suzanne Cahill is a research associate professor in School of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College, Dublin. Email: [email protected]

Desmond O’Neill

Desmond O’Neill is a consultant in Geriatric and Stroke Medicine at Tallaght Hospital, Dublin 24 and professor of Medical Gerontology at Trinity College, Dublin. Email: [email protected]