Humour and laughter are present in most of human interaction. Interactions inhealth care settings are no exception. Palliative care practitioners know from experiencethat humour and laughter are common in palliative care despite the seriousness of the carecontext. Research establishing the significance of humor in care of the dying is limited This is Part 5 – Discussion Discussion Persons familiar with palliative care will recognize that humour has always been integral to the area. This research establishes that humour and laughter are more than something to be taken for granted; they are important components of compassionate care for the dying. Humour is not unique to this setting. It is ever- present in health care, as in life itself. However, the centrality of human relationships in palliative care and the importance of the tenor of communication and care create a context in which humour f lourishes. Ever since the early days of …

Humour and laughter are present in most of human interaction. Interactions inhealth care settings are no exception. Palliative care practitioners know from experiencethat humour and laughter are common in palliative care despite the seriousness of the carecontext. Research establishing the significance of humor in care of the dying is limited This is Part 4 – The Research – Part 3