Tracking Progress on Person-Centered Care for Older Adults: How Are We Doing?

Person-centered care is essential to a high-quality system of care, emphasizing a holistic approach
oriented around individuals’ goals and preferences. Analyzing the 2014 and 2016 Health and Retirement
Study, we measure the extent to which older adults experience person-centered care, differences by
race, income and other variables, and how receipt of person-centered care affects overall health care
satisfaction and service utilization. Roughly one-third of older adults reported that their preferences
were only rarely or sometimes taken into account. Results varied greatly by race. One in four Hispanics
reported never having their preferences taken into account compared to roughly one in ten whites and
one in six Blacks. When people’s preferences are ignored, they are more likely to forgo medical care and
report lower satisfaction with the health care system. New efforts are needed to strengthen and
advance person-centered care, particularly for people of color and low-income populations.