Dignity therapy implementation in a community-based hospice setting

Dignity Therapy is a brief, empirically supported, individualized psychotherapy designed to address legacy needs among patients at the end of life. To date, this psychotherapy has not been implemented in a "real-world" community-based hospice setting. This study was designed to offer information about the pragmatic aspects of implementing Dignity Therapy for patients receiving hospice care.

Twenty-seven patients completed Dignity Therapy as part of a clinical service newly offered at a community-based hospice. Referral and enrollment procedures, as well as the logistics of therapy implementation were monitored. Patients' legacy transcripts were also qualitatively analyzed to measure emergent themes.

Patients were most commonly referred by social workers, and on average produced Dignity Therapy legacy transcripts approximately 3000 words/8 pages in length. The mean number of sessions spent with patients was 4, equating to an average of 380 minutes of clinician time per patient. Qualitative analyses revealed the most commonly discussed topics among patients were (in rank order): autobiographical information, love, lessons learned in life, defining roles in vocations or hobbies, accomplishments, character traits, unfinished business, hopes and dreams, catalysts, overcoming challenges, and guidance for others.

This was the first study to implement Dignity Therapy in a community sample, with results highlighting the practical aspects of treatment as well as the most common themes discussed by clinical patients in a hospice setting. These findings provide useful data for clinicians or organizational leaders who may consider offering Dignity Therapy in their setting, and offer general insight regarding the legacy topics most frequently discussed by patients near the end of life.