Abstract

The influence of spatial aspects on patients’ well-being has been described as crucial for more humanizing care. The notion of lived space is usually introduced in this context. In Europe, over the last decade, a lifeworld awareness has increasingly been applied to healthcare. Care given from a lifeworld perspective could provide important ideas and values that are central to the humanization of healthcare practice. This lifeworld perspective is grounded in phenomenological philosophy, which will briefly be described in this chapter, followed by an examination of how lived space is understood and illustrated by examples from empirical research. From a care ethical perspective, however, a broader notion of space is needed that better reflects the practice of care. The lifeworld approach remains focused on care as too narrow an interaction between two people, the patient and the healthcare professional. Therefore, a three-dimensional perspective of space will be explored, as described by philosopher and sociologist Henri Lefebvre. His view allows a shift in focus from the experiencing subject to social practice and changes the object of analysis when studying the humanization of care. This perspective offers a lens to reflect upon and enhance care practices. Also, studying the dynamic interplay between these dimensions may enable a better understanding of spatial vulnerability as it emerges in care practices.