Dignity For All
For those involved in the
care of the terminally ill, the affirmation of the inherent dignity of each
patient, through actions and words of benevolence, is precisely what it means to
comfort the dying (Chochinov, 2002). Moreover, through the recognition of each
patient being worthy of honor and esteem, regardless of what their individual
life story might have been, the caregiver is imbued with the dignity rendered
by their own actions.
The prison hospice program is
an example of how by acknowledging the dignity of each person in death, those caring for them are also positively impacted. The program aims to help inmates die with
dignity while training fellow prisoners as hospice volunteers. Its success in
fostering compassion between inmates has shown that through sympathy and the willingness
to share in someone else’s pain, for ourselves, we may become open to the
condition of receiving (Eriksson & Fredriksson, 2003). As stated by one
inmate in the program, “You go in thinking that you’re
going to help somebody, and every time they end up helping you” (Leland, 2009). This program demonstrates that at the end-of-life, shared experiences
of death with dignity provide reciprocal opportunities of human development for
all parties involved.
SERVING LIFE
References
Chochinov, H. (2002). Dignity-conserving care - a new model for palliative care. JAMA, 287(17), 2253-2260.
Eriksson, K., & Fredriksson, L. (2003). The ethics of the caring conversation. Nursing Ethics, 10(2), 138-148.
Leland, J. (2009, October 18). Fellow inmates ease pain of dying in jail. The New York Times. Retrieved
This is a very moving video. This blog is so comprehensive and filled with important information. I hope you continue with it. You could put this on your resume as you job search. Also, perhaps research one day, or be a consultant in this arena.
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