Life Story Sharing: A Therapeuitic Intervention in Palliative Care

This chapter presents a personal reflection by Sharing Stories for Welbeing (SS4WB) workshop facilitator and programme founder Miranda Quinney with observational input from Alison Ward and Jane Youell of the University of Northampton following the University’s evaluation of the programme in May 2015. SS4WB provides facilitated storytelling sessions in palliative care. Workshops foster life-story discussions which participants share with the group, that are delivered in a non-linear style and are based on themed topics. Groups are supported by hospice staff, who provide both pastoral and clinical care. Informal observational feedback suggested that the potential benefits for participants were improved self-esteem, feelings of being valued and of being listened to at a time of personal distress. The running of new SS4WB sessions at Watford’s Peace Hospice Care gave the opportunity to conduct a formal evaluation and to understand the potential value of participation. The evaluation was conducted over five weekly sessions between May and June 2015. Four broad evaluation themes emerged: ‘pleasure’; ‘what makes you, you’; ‘more than just a patient’; and ‘benefits beyond the group’.1 Participants reported enjoyment and felt a sense of autonomy and control in deciding on the stories shared.2 Sessions provided an opportunity for social engagement, giving a sense of togetherness and were a means to explore the participants’ sense of self and feelings of being valued as a person, not a patient. The telling of biographical reminiscences was reported to bring positive reminders of changing times and lived experiences. Workshop engagement also led some participants to experience improved confidence and reduced social isolation, as evidenced through staff and family views and participation in new activities. SS4WB enables people in palliative care to share their life-stories in a supportive and safe environment. Participation can have positive outcomes fostering choice in the stories shared which then engenders a sense of autonomy and control, reminiscences can also bring feelings of value and self-esteem

Sharing stories for wellbeing - the role of life story work in palliative care

Storytelling in palliative care has provided a valuable opportunity for people at the end of their life to reflect and to reconnect to their sense of self-identity. Not only this, but it can have benefits in terms of wellbeing, enjoyment and quality of life. In 2011, Sharing Stories for Wellbeing (SS4WB) was established, running storytelling workshops for people in palliative care. Small groups share their life stories using themes as topic guides and are facilitated by experienced session leads and hospice staff. A mixed methods evaluation was undertaken to understand the potential value of participating in SS4WB, using participant observations (n=2), face-to-face interviews with hospice staff (n=3), family members (n=1) and participants (n=3). The themes of ‘pleasure’; ‘what makes you you’; ‘more than just a patient’; ‘benefits beyond the group’ emerged from the data. Participants reported feeling in control of the stories they shared, and feeling enjoyment during the sessions. There was a sense that they were being valued as people, and had an opportunity for social engagement, providing a feeling of being together as a group and sense of reduced isolation. Being able to share life stories led to improved confidence and self-esteem. SS4WB was shown as a way to support people in palliative care and provide an opportunity to reflect on their lives in a way which improved their resilience through autonomy, being valued as an individual and improved sense of self. Storytelling and story sharing were shown as ways to support resilience and self-care