What is the purpose of the care plan in geriatric care and who should be involved?

• A. To document billing codes; involve administrators only.
• B. To address goals, safety, independence; involve patient, family/caregivers, and the healthcare team.
• C. To monitor vital signs during a hospitalization; involve nursing staff only.
• D. To decide medications without patient input; involve pharmacist only.

Answer: (B)

In geriatric care, the care plan is a collaborative, patient-centered tool that sets goals, addresses safety risks, and supports independence. It guides how care is coordinated across settings, aligning interventions with the patient’s values, preferences, and functional priorities. By detailing who is responsible for each action, it helps the whole team work together smoothly.

Involving the patient, family or caregivers, and the healthcare team ensures decisions reflect real-life goals and livable standards, while bringing together medical, nursing, social, and support services to support safety, fall prevention, medication management, and activities of daily living. This shared approach makes plans more actionable and increases the likelihood that the patient can maintain independence.

The other options miss essential elements. Limiting the plan to documenting billing codes and involving administrators loses the person-centered, goal-oriented focus. Restricting involvement to nursing staff during hospitalization narrows the plan to a single setting and role rather than a comprehensive, ongoing process. Excluding patient input from medication decisions, even if a pharmacist is involved, undermines shared decision-making and collaborative care that are fundamental to geriatric planning.