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What is Spirituality?. Does everyone have a spiritual side? Alison Peers - End of Life Care Facilitator. Spirituality. Body of evidence: spirituality, including religion, is an important coping resource for many of those approaching the end of life Holloway et al (2011).
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What is Spirituality? Does everyone have a spiritual side? Alison Peers - End of Life Care Facilitator
Spirituality Body of evidence: spirituality, including religion, is an important coping resource for many of those approaching the end of life Holloway et al (2011)
Spirituality- definition Support that seeks to “help people approaching the end of life and those close to them including their relatives, carers and friends to:
Spirituality- definition • Explore how they might understand, make sense of or find meaning in what is happening to them • Identify sources of strength they can draw on, and • Decide whether those sources are helpful during this period in their lives.” National Council for Palliative Care
Spiritual issues • Why has this happened to me? • Does God exist, why has he allowed this? • Am I being punished? • Who or what has caused my suffering? • What meaning does my life have? • What will happen when I die?
Spirituality • May struggle with: • Guilt • Anger • Despair • May search for: • Forgiveness • Peace • Hope
Spiritual Pain Unaddressed issues: May lead to spiritual pain Consider asking: • What is most important/meaningful to you? • What helps you through difficult times? • Do you have a faith which helps you make sense • of life? • Do you ever pray?
Spiritual Pain “bitter anger at the unfairness of what is happening (at the end of life) and above all a desolate feeling of meaninglessness. Here lies, I believe, the essence of spiritual pain”. Saunders (1988:29)
Holisitic Care • Physical • Psychological/emotional • Social • Cultural • Spiritual
Spiritual Care Whose role is it?
HOPE Assessing Spiritual Needs
HOPE • Hope – what are the sources of hope, meaning, peace • Organised religion – what is its role for that person • Problems/issues/questions they are facing • Effect on care - how
Spiritual support • Asking a chaplain or counsellor to see them • Finding a faith leader from their own religion to visit • Arranging for them to go to their place of worship • Providing a place where they can reflect/pray
Spiritual support • Listening, being there • Pray with them • Providing things such as a Bible, Koran • Reading scriptures to them • Arranging for certain rituals to be carried out, e.g., Holy Communion • Playing music which they find helpful • Reading, e.g., poem
Agree/Disagree • Every person is a spiritual being • Spirituality has nothing to do with formal religion • I would be willing to share my own beliefs with someone who is dying • I would feel comfortable praying with a patient • I would never take a patient to church • I am afraid of dying • There is always a purpose in suffering • A person must make peace with God before death • Prayer always gets results • Forgiveness is important before death • I learn about spirituality from my patients • My faith helps me give palliative care • Only faith makes sense of death • It is essential to refer to a person’s faith advisor for spiritual support
What have you learnt? What will you change?
How do we involve families and friends in:The Care?The Discussions?
Specific Wishes • Clothes, makeup, hair, photos, music • Family, friends present, not alone • Quiet environment, dignity, privacy • Personal care • Pain relief, e.g., timing of • Toileting, pads, commode, urinals, catheter, convene • Diet and fluids • Mouthcare, Toiletries • Spiritual care, religious needs - anticipate
Supporting families & friends • Accomodation • Transport • Meals • Washing facilities • Emotional support • Time • Respect and dignity