Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Apr 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial'It makes me feel that I'm still relevant': a qualitative study of the views of nursing home residents on dignity therapy and taking part in a phase II randomised controlled trial of a palliative care psychotherapy.
Trials of dignity therapy (a palliative care psychotherapy) have shown self-reported benefits for participants from taking part, although more so in intervention than control groups. However, the sources of these benefits are unknown. ⋯ Dignity therapy is likely to be beneficial to some care home residents, albeit the small minority who have the desire and the capacity to engage in such an intervention. Whether or not dignity therapy helps distressed residents, and the most effective way of screening for those who might benefit from it, need to be determined.