Caring is by its very nature something that happens within a relationship—that’s why PHI refers to its work as “building skills for relationship-centered care.” We help direct-care and professional staff build quality caregiving relationships that are the heart of quality care.

In eldercare and disability services, quality caregiving relationships respect the dignity and autonomy of the person receiving care. That is, the care must be person-centered and person-directed, whether delivered in a nursing home, a private home, or a community-based residence.

In addition, quality caregiving relationships respect the dignity of the caregiver, by providing adequate training and support, and time, to provide relationship-centered care.

To strengthen caregiving relationships, PHI focuses on improving the communication and problem solving skills of direct caregivers and professional staff within eldercare and disability services organizations. These skills are at the foundation of building healthy relationships among staff and between staff and the individuals they assist. They are also critical to moving toward organizational structures and care delivery systems that support small households, individualized caregiving, and decentralized decision making.

How We Can Help

Today, many eldercare/disability services organizations are transforming the way they deliver care. Institutional models are giving way to social models that more fully support and respond to each individual’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and wishes.

PHI is partnering with organizations that seek to create more relationship-centered cultures. We help each of our clients turn their vision into reality, while managing their business in an increasingly complex environment. Our work together results in improved job satisfaction among nurses and direct-care staff, better staff retention, improved quality of care, and greater customer satisfaction.

In our work with you, we support you to:

• Build on strengths. Look for what is working well within your organization and, then, grow change from that positive core.
• Learn new skills. Explore new interpersonal communications and caregiving skills that foster healthy relationships, teamwork, and collaborative decision making in support of care that is responsive to individual needs and preferences.
• Develop formal and informal leaders. Create new opportunities to share and grow leadership throughout your organization.
• Create home environments. In residential settings, implement flexible household and neighborhood models that support individuals to engage in communities filled with the vital connections of family and friends.
• Create sustainable change. Commit to organizational structures, policies, and practices that continuously improve the quality of jobs, quality of care, and quality of life.