Spiritual Care & Emotional Support in A Home Care Environment
A Chaplains Manual
By Chaplain Charles Zeiss
Table of Contents
Forward 4
Vision Statement 5
Mission Statement 6
Chaplain Relationship in Healthcare 7
Aspects of Spiritual Care and Emotional Support in Healthcare 8
What is Spirituality? 8
What is Religion? 8
Spirituality and Religion: The Relationship 9
What is Spiritual Care? 9
Why are Spiritual Beliefs Important? 9
What is Spiritual Well-Being? 10
What is Spiritual Distress? 10
Knowing Yourself and Spirituality 10
Patient, Family, and Medical Staff Spiritual Care Services 11
Identifying Spiritual/ Emotional Needs of Patients and Families 12
A Need for Spirituality / Religion 13
A Need for Companionship 13
A Need for Involvement
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Conversely, a lack of connectedness may indicate estrangement, loneliness, or spiritual distress. Self-transcendence promotes an impetus for the ailing to transcend beyond personal boundaries of pain and suffering. Awareness provides a sense of hope, and the ability to attain a wider perspective of life and death. Belief in a higher power facilitates empowerment, a relaxed state, and a sense of well-being which influences health and recovery of illness. Spiritual transformation is evident when a person embraces a new and broader perspective in life and transcends beyond difficulty of …show more content…
Quiet time for prayer, reading material, tapes/CDs, church bulletins, newspapers, and visits from parishioners and clergy provide a sense of connectedness. It is important to recognize the patient, even those who suffer from terminal illness, as living, not merely dying. Providing the patient and family members with updates regarding the patient’s Plan of Care provides the patient and family members with a sense of empowerment, control, and inclusion in the treatment process.
Do a life review with the patient and encourage family members to reminisce with the patient. Reflection on the meaning and values can widen a patient’s perspective of life, death, and outcome of present circumstances. Assist the patient with resolving bitter feelings and coming to terms with the present situation.
Provided the patient’s health is not compromised, bring plants and flowers to the patient room or position the bed so the patient can see outside. Convey a positive attitude in the presence of the patient. A cheerful disposition conveys to the patient a sense of hope and joy. Always smile, and laugh with patient when