Social death in seniors
Valeria Horanska
School of nursing st. Alzbety, KosiceLubomira Lizakova
Faculty of Health Care, University of Prešov, SlovakiaAbstract
Dying and death are parts of the life and are unique and personal to everyone. People are afraid of death, often due the fear of the unknown, suffering and loss of the quality of life. Death as such is affecting seniors most, which is, of course; relating to the life cycle. With ageing people are clearly aware of the irreversibility of this cycle and especially in cases, when decreasing of quality of their lives is linked with hospitalization or other forms of social care, which are requiring them to leave their home and social environment. Palliative care is applied in the terminal stages of the disease in present time and the process of dying is an integral part of nursing care. Seniors assess life via the quality of life. This quality of life is judged on its own values, which are in different order for everyone: health, social networking, free time activities or financial situation. Hospitalization of the senior often leads to social isolation, which in many cases ends with social death, and it usually comes much earlier than biological death. The aim of the paper is to draw the attention of the professional and general public to the phenomenon of social isolation and social death of seniors, which in our society, and not only in Slovakia, is beginning to emerge as a more and more current issue.
Keywords:
social death social isolation senior nursing palliative care constitution guaranteed health careReferences
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Authors
Valeria Horanska(1977) – Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, Teacher and Nurse. Master’s study of nursing completed at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of P.J. Safarika in Kosice. Dissertation in the field of nursing defended at the Higher School of Health and Social Work of St. Elizabeth in Bratislava. Specialized study in nursing care in internal departments completed at the Slovak University of Health in Bratislava. The professional experience in Czech Republic as a nurse reached at The Thomayer Hospital and IKEM Hospital in Prague and in Slovak Republic in hospital VUSCH Kosice. She lectured at the Faculty of Health on the Catholic University in Ruzomberok and at the College of Health and Social Work of St. Elizabeth. Lecture and lead the students of nursing and lead the clinical practice at the Secondary Medical School of St. Elizabeth in Kosice with specialization on internal nursing, geriatric nursing, neurological nursing, community nursing, education in nursing and clinical practice. She is author and co-author of several textbooks, university scripts, monographs, contributions in home and frontier magazines and conferences. Cooperate with the section of geriatric nurses at the Slovak Nursing Chamber.
Authors
Lubomira Lizakova(1976) – Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, Teacher and Nurse. Master’s study of nursing completed at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of P.J. Safarika in Kosice. Dissertation in the field of nursing was defended at The Trnava University in Trnava. Specialized study in the nursing care in community completed at Presov University in Presov. The professional experience reached as a nurse in the Faculty Hospital with a polyclinic in Kosice, a Children’s Faculty Hospital and a dialysis center in Kosice. Lectured at the Faculty of Health on the Catholic University of Ruzomberok and the Faculty of Health at the University of Presov with specialization in pediatric nursing, transcultural nursing, psychiatric nursing, communication in nursing, education in nursing and clinical practice. She is author and co-author of several textbooks, university scripts, monographs, contributions in home and frontier magazines and conferences.
