L'éthique du care

How can we be sure the care we provide is right for a given individual if we ignore the specificity of his/her personal situation? The right action is not necessarily the one defined by abstract impartial principles. In the healthcare context, the right action issues from a moral reflection centered on the important notion of solicitude, of caring. Usually reserved for the private familial sphere, caring for others has a very real impact on community life. Loss of personal independence tends to exclude an individual from community life. Conversely, when focused on caring for others community life becomes more intense for all, irrespective of an individual's personal situation. This ethical approach to healthcare can be further expanded to the field of social policies and institutions devoted to the support and care of dependent persons.