What is meant by Dignity, Respect and Compassion?
Compassion is how care is given through relationships based on empathy, respect and dignity, also known as intelligent kindness, and how people perceive their care. To treat someone with dignity is to treat them as being of worth, in a way that is respectful of them as individuals, regardless of your own personal opinion. Dignified care, or the lack of it, can have a profound effect on this relationship.
According to the Social Care Institute for Excellence, dignity is a state, quality or manner worthy of esteem or respect; and (by extension) self-respect. Dignity in care, therefore, means the kind of care, in any setting, which supports and promotes, and does not undermine a person's self-respect regardless of any difference. Whilst dignity might be difficult to define, what is clear is that people know when they have not been treated with dignity.