The findings of the studies regarding care, relationships
and communication ranged from relatively superficial and descriptive accounts based on what informants could
remember to deeper reflections on the personal meaning
of human relationships during illness. Extremes of feeling,
and meaning were also evident. Human contact and
communication with healthcare professionals often had a
positive personal meaning for informants and was associated
with safety and security, for example Jablonski (1994) and
Hofhuis (2008). In contrast, feelings of ‘aloneness’ and separation
were recalled and often had very negative personal
meaning. Interestingly this did not result in a consistent
desire for human contact and communication since informants
also expressed feelings of the need for space and
isolation, peace and quiet.