How do people meet the needs of the dying with special individuals?
a physician’s prescription for narcotic analgesics
a sacramental act by a member of the ordained clergy
how can any person help the needs of the dying?
- a hand held
- a grief or joy shared
- a question listened & responded to
- To be cared about not just cared for
four primary dimensions of care
- physical
- psychological
- social
- spiritual
physical care
control of physical pain and distress
- understand pain acute vs chronic
- therapeutic interventions (medication, alternative therapies, drug dependence vs drug addiction)
management of physical symptoms
- common symptoms
- loss of energy and shortness of breath
- changes in appearance
- dehydration
Psychological Care
- Realizing there is no “right thing” to say & that negative emotions do not need to be fixed.
- Learning how to be in the moment and listen
- Becoming comfortable with one’s own discomfort
- Assisting dying persons in identifying their feelings by acknowledging their feelings as appropriate to their particular situations and allowing them to vent
- use physical touch when welcomed to
social care
- encouraging relationships that the dying person values
- Listening to & advocating for the social concerns of the dying person
- What is his or her role & place in the family? In the workplace? In the community at large?
- How can the dying person be empowered to assert & maintain his or her autonomy?
spiritual care
- Assisting dying persons in their search for meaning
- Being present & empathic
- Actively listening
- Enhancing opportunities for creative expression
- Supporting & sustaining this ongoing process
coping task as guidlines
- the specific tasks the dying person or other persons affected are pursuing in their individual circumstances
- the characteristics of the family in question & the relevant cultural or ethnic background
- that choices & decisions related to coping tasks
ultimately rest with the dying person - that one’s actions are most important in showing how much one cares about the dying person
the challenge in helping others
keep dying and others coping company
sitting there in silence
comfortable with ones own discomfort
learn how to respond effectively
the challenge in helping one’s self
learn to use effective communication to find greater satisfaction in the helping role
to seek help from other professional and personal support that all helpers need
nearing death awareness
- Special awareness of the imminence of death & efforts to describe what dying is like as it is being experienced by the individual
- Expressions of final requests about what is needed before the individual can experience a peaceful death
stress
Arises when helpers experience intense or long-term involvement in situations that are emotionally demanding, perhaps because of witnessing people in crises or feeling moral distress
compassion fatigue
Occurs when the stress generated by stressful situations is perceived as oppressive & a hardship that can no longer be borne
caregivers feel emotionally drained & may then try to withdraw & distance themselves from the sources of their stress
caregiver burnout
Is an extreme form of compassion fatigue when helpers become physically, emotionally, & mentally exhausted, especially because of long-term involvement in emotionally demanding situations coupled with a sense of powerlessness & an inability to achieve their goals as providers of care
self care
- essential in managing stress and preventing compassion fatigue or caregiver burnout
- requires a balance between too much involvement and too much distance
- evaluations of strengths and weaknesses
- open to suggestions and support
hope
human phenomenon
few situations are actually hopeless
hope is founded in reality, unrealistic wishes express fanciful desires
