Why we need more poetry in palliative care

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care Research
• Medical Humanities
• Poetry Therapy

Background:

• Medicine often overlooks poetry's therapeutic potential, despite its relevance to illness and loss.
• Palliative care uniquely recognizes poetry's capacity to foster meaning, solace, and enjoyment for patients and professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze the various applications of poetry within palliative care.
• To explore the untapped potential of poetry in palliative care education, practice, and research.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of academic literature from Medline.
• Searches extended to professional, policy, and poetry-specific websites.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged: leadership, organizational culture development, health professional training, and patient support.
• While academic literature predominantly featured practitioner views, rare patient accounts highlighted poetry's role in emotional expression, creativity, and community building.

Conclusions:

• Poetry serves as a significant means for individuals, including patients and palliative care professionals, to derive meaning from serious illness and end-of-life experiences.
• Poetry holds considerable, yet underexplored, potential for creating person-centered palliative care organizations, enhancing professional training, supporting patients, and engaging the public.