Abstract
The number of elderly patients receiving home medical care is expected to rise in Japan, where the population is aging. This case report highlights the importance of sharing information, communication, and establishing a relationship of trust among the physician, the patient and key persons. This collaboration is crucial for providing appropriate, patient-centered care for elderly patients receiving home medical care. The case involves a patient with extensive
use of home care who had experienced a brief stay in a long-term care facility and has a family that fully understands how comprehensive care operates. Due to the patient’s advanced age, the involvement of a key person in the treatment and care planning was necessary. To foster a strong relationship among the three parties the implementation of Shared Decision-Making (SDM)-a process in which both the patient and medical professionals participate in determining the treatment plan-, helped facilitate communication among them and led to a treatment plan that all parties agreed upon. It was suggested that SDM improved the quality of treatment and care of this elderly patient undergoing home medical care by building a new relationship with the key person as the patient aged.
