Fostering dignity in the care of nursing home residents through slow caring

Background:Physical impairment and dependency on others may be a threat to dignity.Research questions:The purpose of this study was to explore dignity as a core concept in caring, and how healthcare personnel focus on and foster dignity in nursing home residents.Research design:This study has a hermeneutic design.Participants and research context:In all, 40 healthcare personnel from six nursing homes in Scandinavia participated in focus group interviews in this study.Ethical considerations:This study has been evaluated and approved by the Regional Ethical Committees and the Social Science Data Services in the respective Scandinavian countries.Findings:Two main themes emerged: dignity as distinction (I), and dignity as influence and participation (II).Discussion:A common understanding was that stress and business was a daily challenge.Conclusion:Therefore, and according to the health personnel, maintaining human dignity requires slow caring in nursing homes, as an essential approach.