Beyond the Buzzwords: What “Person-Centred” Really Looks Like Day-to-Day
Person-centred care is one of the most frequently used phrases in disability support—but what does it actually mean when you’re face to face with a client? True person-centred support isn’t about ticking boxes or using the right buzzwords. It’s about actively listening, adapting, and supporting the person as the expert in their own life.
It’s easy to say “we do person-centred care.” It’s harder—and more meaningful—to show it.
What It Really Means
Person-centred support means:
Listening to the person’s goals, not just their diagnosis.
Supporting choice, even when it’s different from your own preference.
Flexing routines to accommodate the person’s communication style, interests, or energy level.
Adjusting the environment, not the person.
Examples in practice:
Supporting a client to attend their favourite music class—even if it clashes with your own schedule.
Helping someone cook dinner the way they like it, not just the quickest way.
Learning a few signs or using visual tools because that’s how the person best communicates.
Asking “Would you like me to help?” before jumping in.
The Difference Between Being Helpful and Being Centred
Support workers may naturally want to “do things” for someone—but person-centred support asks: Is this what they want? It’s not about control. It’s about partnership.
Respect Begins with Choice
Person-centred care isn’t a checklist—it’s a mindset. It requires empathy, flexibility, and a willingness to change the way we work to better suit the person we’re supporting. Because supporting someone with their life is very different from managing it for them.