This article argues that person-centred care is a multi-stage process and that caregivers, particularly for older people, need to be integrated into every stage.

The article goes through the different stages of person-centred care, from ensuring the person and their care giver understand the person’s underlying health status, to generating a plan of care. It concludes that for caregivers to make patient-centered care a reality for frail elders and those with advanced illness, they will need unprecedented education and assistance and for services to make a fundamental shift from individual autonomy to family and caregiver-centered care.