Katie Eriksson’s caring theories. Part 1. The caritative caring theory, the multidimensional health theory and the theory of human suffering

Abstract

In this article, Katie Eriksson's caring theories including the caritative caring theory, the multidimensional health theory and the theory of human suffering are described. The assumptions and concepts, both etymologically and semantically investigated, are founded in ontology. Caring is a human natural phenomenon and patient means the suffering human being. In the caritative caring theory, the substance and core of caring is described as ‘to care is to tend, play and learn in faith, hope and love’. The starting point is love, mercy, human kindness, compassion and a caring relationship. Caring is healing and sharing—a will to care, which is founded in faith and life energy. Caring promotes humanity and people's health, and thus a feeling of wholeness, integration, growth and inner freedom. The goal is to promote and protect health and life and alleviate suffering. Health means wholeness and holiness. Eriksson emphasises an ontological aspect of health, where the human being is seen as an inseparable being comprising a body, soul and spirit. To be healthy is to be whole and to feel whole, where wholeness means life itself. In the multidimensional perspective, the essence of health is vitality. Vitality is the innermost dimension of health; it is a force to energy in life, to joy and desire. Health is a dynamic movement between dimensions of becoming, being and doing. Eriksson seeks answers to the ‘what’ of suffering through concept analysis, but she also discusses the ‘why’ question. Each suffering is unique. There is a connection between suffering and desire, where suffering gives birth to an unsuspected life power that is not seen as having any other source than suffering itself. Desire and suffering make up the driving power for a person's being and formation into the person she is intended to become.

Understanding Spiritual Care—Perspectives from Healthcare Professionals in a Norwegian Nursing Home

“…Having a personal touch was provided when healthcare professionals emphasized, accepted, and understood patient needs with compassion, love, and mercy. Several people in our study indicated that caring seemed to come naturally for them, and that care can be understood as a natural phenomenon for the human being (Bergbom et al 2021). This suggests that people who have a natural ability to show compassion, love, and mercy, are more able and better prepared to provide and care for patient spiritual needs and provide good care (Eriksson 1997).…”

“…Participants understood spirituality as an integrated dimension of whole-person care and related it to how one copes with changes in health and suffering (Bergbom et al 2021;Eriksson 2002). At the same time, several people did not acknowledge the spiritual dimension, and after hearing the definition from EAPC (2021), they understood spiritual care as being equal to good care.…”

“…Eriksson stated that the ethical motive and core of caring is to foster health and alleviate suffering to ensure a patient's sense of dignity and worth (Nystrøm et al 2021). Within the caritative caring theory, the human being is understood as an indivisible entity of body, soul, and spirit (Bergbom et al 2021;Eriksson 2002), and spirituality is related to changes in the individual experiences of health and suffering (Eriksson 1997). Spirituality has a potential for calming and healing, at least for those who acknowledge this dimension in life, and it can, for many people, be a source of inner strength.…”

“…According to Eriksson, care is a natural phenomenon for the human being (Bergbom et al 2021), which means some parts of caring cannot be taught. However, compassion, love, and mercy are fundamental concepts of knowledge incorporated in caritative caring (Lindstrøm and Zetterlund 2018).…”

A caring leadership model in nursing: A grounded theory approach

“…Caring leadership comes naturally from characteristics, evidenced by a supportive leader-follower relationship, which is critical to achieving the Institute of Healthcare's vision of nurses as full partners with other health care professionals (Peng et al, 2015). Eriksson's Caritative theory illustrated caring through relationships that involve love, mercy and compassion; the motive of caring is to alleviate suffering and protect well-being (Bergbom et al, 2021). In Eriksson's theory, caring is a natural process deeply connected with human suffering and helps to understand the essence of caring.…”