KHARON

Thanatology Review

Electronic Journal

Content

Volume 20

Number 3 · 2016

Original article


 DÓRA CSIKÓS
DÓRA CSIKÓS

mentálhigiénés szakember, életvégi tervezés tanácsadó

dora.csikos@hospicehaz.hu

Promoting the realisation of end-of-life needs in doctor-patient communication

- An introduction to the Serious Illness Care Program

Abstract · Life standards at the end-of-life stage are typically unduly poor for the seriously ill, and one of the main reasons for this is that patients cannot share their needs and intentions with their caretakers regarding how to take care of them. The patient’s and the doctor’s attitude or the healing-focused care system can all block the open communication of these needs. However, the successful communication and realisation of the patient’s needs could significantly contribute to the maintenance of the patient’s and their caretakers’ mental health. Reviewing the international and the Hungarian literature, I would like to describe the factors influencing the quality of the end-of-life stage, the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, and I would like to present a new approach, the Serious Illness Care Program, which, through simple means and a short training, helps doctors determine the ideal moment for a conversation about end-of-life needs, the clues of such a conversation, and the necessary information for the patients and their families.

 PETRA GEISZBÜHL-SZIMON
PETRA GEISZBÜHL-SZIMON

mentálhigiénés szakember,
emberi erőforrás szakember, közgazdász

pszimon@gmail.com

Should we talk about death?

The impact of group discussions on the fear of death and on the attitude towards death

Abstract · This study presents a research examining the impact of thematic group discussions about death on the participants with the help of the Multidimensional Fear of Death (MFODS) scale (Niemeyer and Moore). In Hungary so far, there has been impact assessment of death-related courses primarily among healthcare workers, so the findings of the research can provide further outlook in order to determine the necessity of group discussion series for non-healthcare workers. A total of 37 people participated in the research, in terms of two thematic group discussions held at two different times (with 16 and 21 people, 3 men and 34 women). The three highest factor values of the MFODS scale reflect historical data in the dimensions of fear for Significant Others, Fear of the Dead and Fear of the dying process. Thematic group discussions had a statistically significant effect. The data recorded a month later, compared to the data recorded at the departure point and right after the discussion, show that the fear of death rose. Based on the qualitative and quantitative findings of the group discussions it can be stated that thematic group discussions on death have an impact on the attitude towards death and its conscious dimensions; therefore, it is likely that open communication about death is important in terms of mental health. Open communication can raise awareness of our fears perceived on a subconscious level as anxiety, and it can ease them in a way to make them part of the individual’s everyday life, focusing on the values of everyday life and the fullness of life.

 KRISZTINA FŐDI
KRISZTINA FŐDI

orvostanhallgató

kriszta.fodi@gmail.com

 MARCELL SZILY
MARCELL SZILY

orvostanhallgató

szilymarcell@gmail.com

Nona, decima, morta

- For some, the sun dial darkens too early, or rather: the ceasing sunshine of the broken mind

Who has never admired fleeting, who has no illusions in dreaming
Their soul is poor, oh, so poor...

Albert Wass

Abstract · There are some, who admire every minute. And for some, every hour on this Earth is a prison. Some would gladly recall the good old days. And there are some, whose mind cannot be touched by time or thought, though they are alive. They say the ones who die, in truth, will live forever in the memory of someone else. However, dementia pays no regard to this. The people whom these patients ever remembered will be forgotten forever if we do not listen to the patients with grasping attention and if we just rush through our lives fearing dreary mortality. We face the passing of our lives day by day. The sunshine of our mind fades away just as unnoticed, and by the time we realise it, it is too late. Therefore, we recommend this essay to the learned and the clever who can profit from it; to those who are looking for a fellow sufferer, but could not note down the never-ending reality of hopelessness; and also to those who wish for a positive conformation of their never-drooping attention. Since everything lies in the details...