What matters to me: Research into preference elicitation for clients in need of long-term care

The aim of the thesis was to investigate the need for help with constructing preferences and to develop and evaluate a tool that can provide this help. Client-centred care is desirable. However, in reality this ideal is challenging in long-term care because of clients' capacities to construct preferences and participate in conversations. The construction of preferences is minimal during conversations about care. Support for both clients and client supporters is needed. To this end, a framework was designed by and for clients in long-term care. The development of the tool 'What I find important' (www.watikbelangrijkvind.nl) was in cooperation with end users. This cooperation was beneficial to develop further into a prototype and an actual tool. ‘What I find important' improved the awareness of personal preferences. The first use shows that the tool can provide support. The impact on long-term care and implementation of the tool in this practice will need further investigation.