Title: What do other people think dignity means
1What do other people think dignity means .?
2Remembering that you who still have your youth
will lose it very quickly
Maintaining the respect we had when we had jobs
and status in society
Being with my family and feeling useful rather
than a nuisance
Listening to me rather than just talking at me
By representing my wishes if I am unable to do so
myself
Ensuring we have the privacy you would want to
have for yourself
Treating us all individually, respecting
diversity, and different cultures
Knowing I wont remember and telling me again
without showing your irritation
3Dignity, what does it mean to you?
Oh everything about being in control of my own
life and not wearing clothes that arent mine
Your respect gives me my dignity
Making my own choices and decisions, not having
someone else allowing me do things
People not talking over me about me as if I
wasnt there
Not making fun of me or being patronizing
Treating me as your equal
Dignity is when someone cares for your father
with respect, treating him like an equal adult
not a child, genuinely listening to what he is
trying to say not just pretending to listen
Being a part of a meeting not just a spare part
with nothing of any importance to say
4FOLLOWING ARE QUOTESWhat dignity means to me
- From clients, families, friends and staff
5Being treated as an individual not a
widget Giving me Time Being Polite and
Respectful Being Honest with me Being
Interested in me Playing music I like
Remembering this is my home, not just your
place of work
6Giving me space In Austria they treat
strangers better than they treat people they know
I like that My time being well used I
knew a resident who could only move her eyes so
the care practitioners knew to let her look at
the perfume she wanted to wear that day so it
was her choice Thats dignity to me
7When someone takes the time to understand what I
can and cant do  I know the staff dont
always have a lot of time, but I must say they do
try to give me time the time I need. Â Being
given privacy and time - I dont want to feel
rushed on the toilet nobody would, would
they? Â Losing my dignity was something I
never considered until I lost it! I think thats
because we take it for granted. You have your
dignity when you are in control of yourself, when
you have a job, when people look up to you and
treat you as an equal. You know when you have
lost it you feel so belittled, so angry and so
helpless the trouble is you have no way of
getting it back on your own!
8 I hate it when people talk across me. It
doesnt happen much to be honest, most of the
staff are really good about chatting to me when
they are doing things. Some take a real interest
in my music collection which is nice and funny
especially when the young ones like my 60s
stuff! Â Being able to put yourself in my
shoes and think about how youd like to be
treated. Â I know I cant do what I did before,
but I need people to think about what I can do
its what keeps me going to be honest. The day is
just too long otherwise. Â Sheila knows just
how I like things. I miss her when shes on
holiday, but she is very good at telling the
others. I bet she bosses them actually! Â Its
really important where my glasses are left at
night so I can get reach them first thing.
 Dignity is my side of respect, if you
respect me I will have dignity
9I love to see mum looking the way she did at
home. She has always been very done and I know
how important it is to her  It is nice to hear
people talking to Ron about things we talk about
as a family. It feels like they know him really
well  Being sensitive to things he cant do
anymore. I know it upsets Dad that he cant do
things, but the staff handle it really well, they
seem to sensitively do the things he cant do and
put more focus on the things he can do which I
know makes him feel better. Its a real
skill. Â Dignity is not having an open backed
gown, or being taken on a hoist down the corridor
or having people laughing at you
10Â Dignity is when you see someone caring for
your father with respect, treating him like an
equal adult not a child, genuinely listening to
what he is trying to say not just pretending to
listen  Dignity is such a hard thing to
express because you dont always have the words,
but it is a certain tone of voice, sharing a joke
a touch as they pass that sends the message that
you are OK, they respect you, they
understand  I know we shouldnt lump people
together and stereotype them but I do think it
must be hard for people who work in the NHS or
social care to carry dignity with them because
they must have such different attitudes to those
of us who work in other sectors. Carrying out
really personal and intimate tasks for other
people must dull your own attitudes towards
exposing your body. Perhaps if you work in the
sector for a long time you forget what it is like
to be shy or reserved because all the things that
make the rest of us squirm with embarrassment are
taken for granted?
11To me Dignity is