Dignity and psychotherapeutic considerations in end-of-life care.
The basic tenets of palliative care are frequently subsumed under the goal of helping patients to die with dignity. Our research group has studied the issue of dignity, with dying patients serving as the primary informants. This paper reviews some of our findings, including an overview of the Dignity Model that derives from our empirical work. Furthermore, this paper summarizes various psychotherapeutic approaches which have been considered for this vulnerable patient population. Finally, we provide the rationale based on the Dignity Model for a psychotherapeutic intervention we have coined Dignity Therapy. This brief, individualized therapeutic approach has been informed by our dignity work, and specifically designed for application in patients nearing death.
Chochinov
Harvey Max
HM
Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Hack
Thomas
T
Hassard
Thomas
T
Kristjanson
Linda J
LJ
McClement
Susan
S
Harlos
Mike
M
D001293:Attitude to Death; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005086:Existentialism; D006040:Goals; D006117:Grief; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D008960:Models, Psychological; D033262:Narration; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011788:Quality of Life; D012297:Right to Die; D012944:Social Support; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000523:psychology*