Objective: Many older adults in the United States with serious persistent mental illness reside in long-term facilities, and evidence suggests increasing numbers of long-term care residents with serious persistent mental illness. Healthcare professionals in these settings may face challenges in providing care to these residents. The purpose of this study was to describe health care professionals' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to caring for long-term care residents with serious persistent mental illness.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was employed.
Results: Ten healthcare professionals working in long-term care were interviewed. Themes that emerged from the interviews were: coming to know the individual and their unique needs takes time; offering choices and being flexible facilitates trust; respecting the inherent worth of each individual promotes caring.
Conclusions: Caring for individuals with serious persistent mental illness in long-term care requires an individualized, person-centered approach.
Keywords: Elderly; Long-term care; Serious persistent mental illness; Trans-institutionalization.
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