What dignity means to service users

I work with people with dementia. Dignity for them is when they feel that you have enough time for them, understand them. They feel respected, they feel secure. They feel accepted. In practice you can notice that that they are more relaxed, they smile. These are days with less challenging behaviour, so called quiet days. I don`t know how your service-user would demonstrate it to you. People with autism would have different means of expression, but the message will be the same. They will be content with your attitude and will show this to you.

To our service users dignity means feeling they are important still in life and that they are still valued members of the human population and if they feel this they know that their personal dignity whist being given care will be respected they show this by smiling and being settled

I work in social services with adults living with sight loss and other disabilities, including mental health. I have also worked with children and teenagers in mainstream education with visual impairment; the main support is listening and giving them the time to speak about their concerns and issues with their difficulties and needs and exploring ways of supporting them in a personal and creative way.
Clear and outlined goals and achievable outcomes/objectives are essential for their engagement and success to positive living with disabilities.

I think the feeling of being cared for is upmost, we make our service users feel they are still an important segment of the community whether they are active in it or not. It's lovely to listen to service users memories of their past and we can learn from them which is important for modern day society. Dignity comes from respect and we should respect each and every service user regardless of their present day situations.

Dignity means that the service users feel that they are important still and that they are valued members of the community. when they feel this they know that their personal dignity whist being given care will be respected. They are then happy, Smile and will be comfortable and settled with there surroundings.

i work in supported housing and dignity to our tenants is listening and hearing what they have to say and have opinions on and supporting them in their choices we did a poster for the last dignity festival where all 4 of the tenants put there feelings on paper about living in supported housing they all had imput and did it all themselves they really enjoyed working together but having their own say

Dignity and respect to service users, indeed anyone, is very empowering simple things mean the world and make us all feel valued

Although I am not experienced in the field of Autism I have many years experience of working with older adults.
Dignity focuses on the value of every person as an individual it also means respecting other's views choices and decisions, and not making assumptions about how people want to be treated and ensuring we always work with care and compassion.
My philosophy regarding dignity in social care ensures each individual recieves care and support and they are able to make the choices about the care they recieve, this includes decisions about everyday needs.
This can include PC/ meal and drink choice/communication/social interaction/pain management and moving and handling.

I'm not adding to this thread - I'm posting to push it back up the list, above the 'nerdy' piece I've just posted (because this thread is a good one, and I hope it keeps getting comments).

Dignity with Dementia service users is making sure they feel valued and have choices the same as every other service user

Dignity means to service users with dementia to feel valued listened to and not seperated from the group.
Giving them the same opportunities and chances to keep as much independence and live in q homely caring environment where they will gain confidence and feel loved and cared for and respected

Dignity for the service user is to be treated as equally as everyone else. This could mean using their name as they wish it to be used. If they require any manual handling that they are involved. For example they have the controls of the hoist, they have a blanket over their knees, the doors and curtains are closed even indoors when no one else is around. The person hoisting them is next to them not at the other end of the hoist except when moving it.
In one word 'involving' or 'including' them in everything that occurs from choices of clothes, meals, how they spend their money or live their lives.

I will join in, now.

I really liked Ann Holland's description of 'dignity':

In one word 'involving' or 'including' them in everything that occurs from choices of clothes, meals, how they spend their money or live their lives.

Although all the responses on what dignity means to service users are very good I feel the original question is a request for help and resources to bring the discussion to the service users. I think this is a part of dignity promotion which is often overlooked, actually asking the service users about dignity and informing them of what they should expect. The SCIE website lists eight areas of dignity in the dignity factor article, and I would suggest using this as a starting point and having group discussions and one to one sessions with service users discussing these factors, giving examples of undignified care and dignified care and encourage the service users to explain what is important to them. CQC leaflet "What can you expect from a good care home" could be used as a guide to discussions. Also explain that the delivery of dignified care is now enshrined in law (The Care Act) following the Francis enquiry into the mid Staffordshire hospital incidents. Not sure if there are any specific resources for discussions with service users but there should be.
I think your approach of involving the service users is fundamental to delivery of dignified care. More able service users could also become advocates for those who cannot communicate easily their wishes.
good luck with your project Heather

Writing as someone who has had family members in the spectrum and also as a professional, it's about getting away from the labels, of autism, aspergers, dementia and highlighting the person as an individual with unique traits. Spelling out (in any care plan) what certain things mean to that person and why (where we can) . Its searching for strengths , interest , bulging on these and seeking for opportunities where the person has fun and is able to contribute to their home, world, setting, workplace, family.

To be honest when I first joined I asked the same question and got nothing back apart from above which we all know and are passionate about but how about innovative ways of moving this forward

I wonder if you used a pictorial supporting tool to gain some comment from people about what dignity means to them...this may work well in a group. A picture to describe, talk about, what it makes you feel by looking at it etc. Engaging a group is often hard and an interactive part of a session may be useful as well as talking about personal experiences of what good and poor support feels / looks like. This may also support gathering information about what dignity means to a person who is reliant on others to support them. Would also promote some self advocacy

Our service users lead on regular 'My Say' discussions and we support and encourage full and active participation in every aspect of care delivery, running our care homes and planning future developments and change. This forum provide a useful and regular sense check on where things are working well and where they aren't and it's done in a constructive way so the outcomes are framed positively. The impact is that our service users feel valued (because they are) and they feel like they are in control of their lives (because they are).