THE ELEMENTS OF THE DIGNITY OF CARE STAFF WHO WORK IN LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES

Sep 29, 2026

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Limited research addresses the dignity of long-term care staff, yet dignity may be shaped by the work environment, staff personal thoughts, and care experiences with patients. Care staff dignity links directly to delivering dignified care; failure to provide it undermines staff dignity and harms health. This study clarifies individual dignity elements by integrating systematic review evidence with 18 hermeneutic phenomenological interviews, then mapping results onto an existing dignity concept matrix.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study purpose and rationale

Methods and data sources

Concept matrix and classification

Three themes of staff dignity

Practical implications

794 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2696 THE ELEMENTS OF THE DIGNITY OF CARE STAFF WHO WORK IN LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES Nanako Hasegawa1, and Cynthia Jacelon2, 1. Aichi Prefectural University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, 2. University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States There is limited research on the dignity of care staff, however, the dignity of care staff may be influenced by the work environment, the staff’s personal thoughts, and care experiences with patients. In turn, the care staff’s dignity is related to the delivery of dignified care. The inability to provide dignified care undermines the dignity of care staffs, and hurts their health. The purpose of this study was to clarify the elements of the individual dignity of care staff who work in long term care facilities. We integrated the findings of a systematic review focused on the individual dignity of staff with the findings of 18 hermeneutic phenomenological interviews of care staff in care at a long term care facility into a previously developed concept matrix of dignity. A total of 4242 titles were obtained from MEDLINE, Web of Science, and CINAHL using the keywords “Dignity,”“Respect,” and “Staff.” Based on predefined criteria, eighteen (n = 18) articles were selected for review. The concept matrix of dignity in care was used to classify the types of staff dignity according to their characteristics. The integrated findings of the care staff interviews, and systematic review indicated the dignity of care staff could be characterized by three themes: ‘The Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 795 professional dignity,’‘Dignity in community,’ and ‘The individual dignity of the staff not affected by others.’ The specific elements of dignity for care staff represent the individual and their interactions with patients, other staff, the organization and society, providing clues for bringing dignified care into practice.

FAQs

What factors may influence the dignity of care staff in long-term care facilities?

The study notes that dignity may be influenced by the work environment, staff personal thoughts, and care experiences with patients.

How did the study clarify the elements of individual care staff dignity?

It integrated findings from a systematic review with results from 18 hermeneutic phenomenological interviews, then used a previously developed dignity concept matrix.

What three themes characterize the dignity of care staff?

The integrated findings identify three themes: professional dignity, dignity in community, and individual staff dignity not affected by others.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Levi