Living and Dying with Dignity: Lessons from Older Adults

Preserving Dignity – Including Patient Voices in Clinician Training - Athena

Disclaimer

The intent of this video is for clinician training and not public use.

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Document Type

Open Access Video

Publication Date

2024

Keywords

older adults, individual reflections, dignity, death and dying, clinical staff, clinician training, support staff, participant-led conversations, self-determination

Description

Dignity can only truly be achieved when one is heard and understood. This interview was co-designed with an older adult living in a congregate setting. Initial conversations began around the themes of death and dying and what knowledge persons wished their clinical and support staff knew. We met four times, the first time guided by structured questionnaire. Subsequent conversations were lead participant. From these initial discussions a new interview guide was created. Four additional meetings were held to revise and review what would be asked in the video you are about to see. Athena’s* openness and honesty is truly a gift, please enjoy and reflect.

Comments

Video one and two were carried out with older adults in retirement home settings. Multiple short open-ended interviews were used to co-design an interview guide. The goal of these conversations was not to create a template or census on what elements of care or life are most valued, but rather to capture individual reflections to support the importance of dignity and self-determination in all phases and stages of life. Athena chose to write, and re-write her responses, Anna felt more comfortable having a conversation prompted by what we had discussed earlier.

Sheridan Research

Generator at Sheridan

Running Tme/Duration

0:23:50

Time Stamps

0:00:00Age in itself does not make you vulnerable, but there are situational, health, and attitudinal factors that can result in this state of being

0:00:29 How would you define ‘being vulnerable’?
0:00:53 What does it mean to you to be perceived as vulnerable?
0:01:21 What does it mean to you to feel vulnerable?
0:01:56 How do different living situations/accommodations contribute to feelings of vulnerability?

0:03:10 We all need help from time-to-time, however how help is offered can change how it is internalized. How can we offer help, without making people feel helpless?

0:04:24 When we spoke, you noted that aging can be characterized by degrees of loss and a variety of oldness. What sorts of things are lost?

0:06:08 You stated that Knowledge is like a tree that never dies, it always grows and leaves us behind. Does your relationship with knowledge and wisdom change as you age.

0:07:28 In your opinion, what is a fear of dependence and how does it affect your decision making

0:10:03 What does it mean to be independent? Are there ways in which people inadvertently rob you of your independence?

0:12:02 How does chronic pain impact people? Do our medical and social systems fully understand and adequately support persons?

0:13:29 Does your ability to advocate for yourself change with age? Does how people acknowledge or respect your advocating for yourself change with age?

0:15:48 By-and-large do you feel you are treated with dignity and respect as an older adult? Do you feel the recognition of a life lived is the same today as it was in the past?

0:17:28 How does living with a mobility challenge change the way people perceive you?

0:19:12 How important to you is the maintenance of your health, your values, and your need for continuous learning? Have your priorities changed as you aged?

0:19:47 Can you speak to the importance of mindset? How you think it impacts how you go through the day? How much control do others have over how you see the world (either in a positive or negative way).

0:21:09 What is your attitude toward death?

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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