This article is from Palliative Matters.
According to Dr Harvey Max Chochinov, international expert in dignity and palliative care, dignity is not just a concept associated with managing bodily functions but also a dying person’s perception of how they are seen by others. For people who are dying, they feel a loss of dignity when focus on their illness or disease leaves them with the sense they have been defined generically as a patient and all they have.
The research also shows significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety and feelings of hopelessness in people experiencing a loss of dignity and healthcare workers have a responsibility in understanding the impact of their interactions with patients.
Read the full article here.