Palliative care and the impact of illness on the dignity of the elderly

Ovaj rad proučava odnos palijativne skrbi i utjecaj bolesti na dostojanstvo starijih osoba. Točnije, bavi se (1) teorijskim određenjm palijativne skrbi, (2) određenjem i klasifikacijom dostojanstva, (3) intervencijama skrbi kod palijativnih bolesnika, (4) teorijom privrženosti kao poveznicom palijativne skrbi i dostojanstva, (5) utjecajem kancerogenih i nekancerogenih bolesti na dostojanstvo starijih osoba, te (6) ulogom socijalnog rada i normativnog okvira u onkologiji i palijativnoj skrbi. Cilj ovog preglednog rada je povezati spoznaje koje se odnose na dostojanstvo starijih i bolesnih osoba uslijed utjecaja kancerogenih i nekancerogenih bolesti i nalaze o širokim potrebama oboljelih za palijativnom skrbi interdisciplinarnog tima. Vidljivo je kako palijativna skrb pružena pacijentu ovisi o mnogo vanjskih faktora i kako malo vremena ostaje na raspolaganju da pomognemo pacijentu osjetiti dostojanstvo života i u približavanju smrti.This paper examines the relationship between palliative care and the impact of illness on the dignity of the elderly. More specifically, it deals with (1) the theoretical determination of palliative care, (2) the definition and classification of dignity, (3) care interventions in palliative patients, (4) theories of attachment as a link to palliative care and dignity, (5) the influence of cancerous and non-cancerous diseases on the dignity of the elderly, and (6) the role of social work and the normative framework in oncology and palliative care. The aim of this review is to connect the findings related to the dignity of older and sick people due to the effects of cancerous and non-cancerous diseases and the findings on the broad needs of palliative care patients provided from interdisciplinary team. It is obvious that palliative care that is provided to the patient depends on many external factors and how little time remains available to help the patient feel the dignity of life in the approach of death