Preserving Dignity: The Community’s Shared Responsibility
Dignity Action Day (1st February) is devoted to supporting individuals using care services. It stresses their human rights to personal choice, self-sufficiency, and a meaningful life.
At Care Business Associate Training (CBAT), we share the belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and wish to educate people around the care and consideration of others.
Displaying Dignity
In the UK, a quarter (24%) of the population are disabled. As individuals, we can help vulnerable members of our community feel welcome by treating them in a respectful manner.
There are a number of ways to make sure you treat others with dignity through basic interaction and acknowledgment.
Be Friendly – A simple ‘good morning’ paired with a friendly smile can go a long way in making someone feel seen and it might even make their day. Any form of human interaction can help stop feelings of loneliness and encourages self-confidence.
Offer to Help – This doesn’t have to be a particularly large gesture but more a reflection of good manners. Be sure to ask first, don’t automatically assume someone needs assistance based on their age or mobility. Hold a door open, retrieve an item on a high shelf, or carry a heavy parcel. These good deeds are easy to do and will be much appreciated.
Listen and Understand – When talking with someone vulnerable you want to open your ears to their unique point of view. If you’re willing to show empathy and a deeper level of understanding, you’re approving the message that their thoughts and feelings are valid.
Reflect and Ask – There’s no shame in asking a question if you’re curious and it’s appropriate to do so. Approach a new subject with interest rather than nosiness and choose your words carefully to avoid offense. If unsure, it’s wise to treat others how you wish to be treated.
Dignity in Care
In every neighbourhood there’s multiple people enlisting the help of health carers or relying on friends and family for special assistance. As many as 10.6 million people are thought to be providing unpaid care to loved ones who would otherwise go without.
Although we may look after our loved ones the best we can, spotting signs they need extra support could drastically improve their quality of life. If they’re forgetting to cook or eat meals, struggling with mobility, or becoming muddled with a daily routine, it can all be cause for concern.
Dignity Action Day also promotes dignity in care, and how healthcare workers are responsible for treating others with respect and compassion. The National Dignity Council has named seven core values for caregiving, to help those in care live as self-sufficiently as possible. They also act as shared beliefs we should all be mindful of, to reshape attitudes towards the vulnerable and elderly.
• Recognise the unique needs of every individual
• Adapt personal care and support methods for each individual
• Communicate with individuals with admiration and meaning
• Think how to maintain an individual’s dignity when assisting with personal care
• Value an individual’s surroundings as being a part of their identity and dignity
• Rate workplace principles that endorse humanity
• Actively challenge care that compromises the dignity of the individual.
If you’re considering a career in health and social care, view all the courses available at CBAT and start making a difference today.
Caring for Your Community
Above everything else, always be kind. An upbeat attitude towards members of your community can even influence others around you. If you want to help your community further, there are a number of other ways you can make a change.
– Volunteer your time to a community club or project
– Check-in on neighbours and elderly family members
– Donate to food banks and charity shops
– Give blood (if able to)
– Fundraise for a local charity
– Buy food for homeless members of the community
– Smile and spread positivity
For Dignity Action Day 2024, help contribute to your community in whatever way you can and display dignity and respect for everyone.
Contact us today at sales@cba-training.co.uk to find out how CBAT can meet your Health and Social Care training needs.
References
Research briefing. Available at: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9602/CBP-9602.pdf
Canning, C. (2019) Know when your elderly loved one needs extra support: Helping hands, Helping Hands Home Care. Available at: https://www.helpinghandshomecare.co.uk/blog/knowing-when-your-elderly-loved-one-needs-extra-support/
Dignity & Respect (2016) The 30 tips of Dignity & Respect, Dignity & Respect.
Higgins, J. (2023) Promoting dignity in care, CPD Online College. Available at: https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/care/promoting-dignity-in-care/#:~:text=a%20big%20difference.-,The%20core%20principles%20of%20dignity,to%20challenge%20care%20that%20may%20reduce%20the%20dignity%20of%20the%20individual.,-In%20summary
Key facts and figures (no date) Carers UK. Available at: https://www.carersuk.org/policy-and-research/key-facts-and-figures/#:~:text=%2C%20Carers%20UK%20research%20in%202022%20estimates%20the%20number%20of%20unpaid%20carers%20could%20be%20as%20high%20as%2010.6%20million UK
Rutledge, A. (2024) 60 ways to better your community, SignUpGenius. Available at: https://www.signupgenius.com/nonprofit/community-service-project-ideas.cfm