Person-Centered Dementia Care in Wichita | ComfortCare Homes

Why Person-Centered Care Matters in Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support

When my aunt Pamela was diagnosed with dementia in the summer of 2019, our family entered a new chapter of caregiving. She now lives in a nursing home in Oklahoma, and each visit reminds me of how important it is that care goes beyond the basics. What has surprised me most is realizing how new the concept of Person-Centered Care actually is in senior living—just a few decades old—and that even today, it’s not always the standard.

At ComfortCare Homes in Wichita, we’ve built our model of dementia care around this principle since the very beginning. Pamela’s experience helps highlight why this approach is so critical.

What Is Person-Centered Care in Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

Person-centered care is an approach that prioritizes the individual—recognizing each person as unique, with their own history, preferences, values, and needs. Instead of treating dementia as just a medical condition, person-centered care focuses on the whole person (Kitwood, 1997).

The Alzheimer’s Association defines person-centered care as “knowing the person living with dementia—their values, preferences, and life history—and using that knowledge to guide care decisions” (Alzheimer’s Association, 2024).

This philosophy has guided ComfortCare Homes Wichita's dementia care for over 30 years, influencing how we hire, train, and support our caregivers to ensure every resident is known, respected, and celebrated.

Why Person-Centered Dementia Care in Wichita Matters

For people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, memory loss can make it difficult to communicate who they are or recall what brings them comfort. That’s where person-centered care becomes essential.

In Pamela’s case, the senior living community where she lives is caring and well-intentioned, but they lack the systems to consistently capture and use her story. They may ask questions at intake, but if those answers don’t carry through from one caregiver to the next, the opportunity for connection is lost.

At ComfortCare Homes, we believe person-centered care requires:

• Infrastructure and systems – so personal histories are documented in detail and accessible to every team member. We use an app called Sagely that has a bio, special interest and can document all engagement and let families see that report weekly.  All care givers have access to this app and information at their fingertips.

• Operational follow-through – so caregivers across all shifts have the information they need to connect personally. Our Electronic Health Records and Sagely help make this possible with log ins from anywhere anytime.

• Personalized engagement – so daily routines, meals, and activities reflect a resident’s unique life story. We pick with residents and families what kinds of engagement will happen for each home.  Some homes have lots of gardeners, others love museums.  The use of a personal life story directly informs how we do our work of engagement.

Without these pieces, even the best intentions can fall short. With them, every day becomes an opportunity to create moments of comfort, familiarity, and joy.

How Wichita Families Can Support Person-Centered Care

Families are partners in person-centered care. At ComfortCare Homes, we often say: “When someone moves in, we’re starting their story on page 87 or page 74—we need the family’s help to fill in the book.”

That’s why we encourage Wichita families to share biographies of their loved ones before move-in, including:

• Favorite foods or recipes

• Music that sparks joy or special memories

• Hobbies, skills, or past professions

• Places, traditions, or stories that hold meaning

• Personal quirks—like favorite colors, morning routines, or sayings

These details, which may seem small, often make the biggest difference in daily care. For someone living with dementia, hearing a familiar song or tasting a favorite meal can bring them back to themselves in powerful ways.

The ComfortCare Homes Wichita Difference in Dementia Care

Pamela’s story highlights the gap that still exists in some communities between good intentions and fully integrated person-centered care. At ComfortCare Homes in Wichita, we’ve designed our entire model of residential dementia care around closing that gap.

Our homes are intentionally small, with just a handful of residents in each, which allows us to deeply know every individual. Our caregivers are trained to use personal histories in daily care, ensuring that every interaction is informed by who a resident is—not just their diagnosis.

For us, person-centered care isn’t just a philosophy—it’s the foundation of everything we do.

Choosing the Right Dementia Care in Wichita

If you’re searching for dementia care in Wichita, ask the right questions:

• How is personal information captured and shared?

• How is it applied in daily life, shift to shift and person to person?

• How does the care team ensure each resident feels known and valued?

At ComfortCare Homes Wichita, these aren’t afterthoughts—they’re the heart of our care. Because for those living with dementia, remembering who they are often depends on others remembering for them.

Sources:

• Kitwood, T. (1997). Dementia Reconsidered: The Person Comes First. Open University Press.

• Alzheimer’s Association. (2024). Person-Centered Care in Dementia. Retrieved from alz.org.