Licensed from: AdobeStock 408457591
Hospice and palliative care is often marked at a societal level by suffering only. While there are some studies describing the effects of various interventions on happiness, few studies have explored the phenomenon of happiness in the context of palliative care.
Olsman and Versteeg (2024) conducted a research study to explore happiness in hospice care.
The case study design included semi-structured interviews and participatory observations in one hospice that provides both at home and in hospice care. Six patients, four volunteers, and 12 professional staff who were involved in the hospice program participated, including two patients living in the hospice and four receiving care at home.
The interviews and observations were analyzed and themes were grouped together:
Happiness of Patients
- Happiness was related to physical, psychological, social and spiritual health, and how hospice caregivers tried to increase it. Participants perceived patients’ happiness and health as interconnected or mutually influencing each other. Positive bodily experiences, such as receiving enjoyable food, were mentioned frequently. Psychological health, such as adapting to change, was equated with happiness. Happiness included addressing spiritual health including beliefs. Connections with others was a source of happiness.
- Happiness is associated with a growing receptivity for “little things”. These little things could include occurrences in everyday life that participants had taken for granted, like a sunrise.
Happiness of Hospice Staff
- Happiness is associated with a meaningful connection with patients, while trying to contribute to patients’ happiness and health.
Shared Happiness
- Shared happiness was part of the relationship between patients and staff. This was often seen in connection with music, such as when patients and staff sang along to popular songs together.
The authors highlighted that hospice programs and processes can be structured to contribute to patients’ health and happiness. This can include asking questions on intake to understand who and what makes the patient happy, providing favorite foods, organizing social activities, and offering opportunities for patients to engage in biographical work.
Source: Olsman, E., & Versteeg, A. (2024). Happiness in Hospice Care in The Netherlands: A Case Study Design. Journal of religion and health, 63(2), 1538-1553.
Visit our Research Page to read more about recent hospice palliative care research.
