Swedish care model shows promise for elderly dignity but struggles with real-world adoption
A new intervention designed to preserve dignity in older adults receiving palliative care improved staff morale and addressed patients' loneliness, but nurses found it difficult to implement consistently. The findings highlight a gap between well-intentioned healthcare programs and their practical execution—a challenge that matters for any organization rolling out new care protocols.
Originaltitel: Grasping a new approach to older persons' dignity: A process evaluation of the Swedish Dignity Care Intervention in municipal palliative care
<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Dignity in older persons is a goal of palliative care. This study aimed to perform a process evaluation of the Swedish Dignity Care Intervention (DCI-SWE) in municipal palliative care in Sweden, focusing on implementation, context, and mechanism of impact.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study had a process evaluation design. The Knowledge to Action framework supported the implementation of the DCI-SWE. The intervention was used by community nurses with older persons (n = 18) in home healthcare and nursing homes. Data were collected by focus groups- and individual interviews with community nurses (n = 11), health care professionals (n = 5) and managers (n = 5), reflective diaries, and field notes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Grasping the DCI-SWE was challenging for some community nurses. Enhanced communication training and increased engagement from managers were requested. However, the DCI-SWE was perceived to enhance professional pride in nursing. In terms of fidelity, dose and reach the project was not fully achieved. Regarding mechanism of impact the DCI-SWE contributes to address older persons' loneliness and existential life issues, as it put conversations with older persons on community nurses' agenda.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The DCI-SWE provided opportunities to maintain older persons' dignity and quality of life. However, with refinements of design and the DCI-SWE, the sustainability in the context may increase.</p>