Spiritual/ Emotional Support
Sutter VNA & Hospice has a staff of professional Chaplains who have specialized training in Pastoral Care. This enables them to provide effective emotional support and both religious and non-religious care of the spirit. (Our Medical Social Workers also provide excellent emotional support via their specialized training in Psycho-social Care.) Sickness affects people in many ways. When we become terminally ill, our perception of our physical, emotional, and spiritual life can change substantially. What was once familiar may become strange and foreign as we learn to come to terms with illness. Emotional and spiritual needs usually occur right along with medical needs and our Chaplains address these in keeping with the goal of our hospice to provide care for the "whole" person, be it patient or family member.
The Effects of Illness
Illness affects people in many different ways. When we become terminally ill our perception of our physical, emotional, and spiritual life changes. What was once familiar may become strange and foreign as we learn to live with our terminal illness. Emotional and spiritual need occur along with medical need. In keeping with the goal of our hospice program to provide care for the "whole" patient and the patient's family, our Chaplains specialize in providing emotional and spiritual support.
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What Do Chaplains Do?
The role of the Hospice Chaplain is varied. Rather than trying to impose religious beliefs, Chaplains endeavor to be good listeners and to help people cope with questions and other issues raised by terminal illness. They encourage people to talk about their concerns and discover their own meaningful answers.
Sometimes patients need to vent their feelings to someone with an empathic ear. Emotions of anxiety, fear, anger, frustration and sadness are common and normal.
At times, the Chaplain's role is to help family and other caregivers become more sensitive and responsive to the patient's needs, enabling them to be more understanding, caring and supportive.
If the patient is affiliated with a local religious organization or place of worship, the Chaplain can help communicate spiritual needs to the patient's clergy.
The Chaplain's primary purpose is to be fully present and authentically caring, helping hospice patients and their loved ones to maintain their dignity, their power of choice and their peace of mind.
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Common Reasons People Call Upon Chaplains
- For emotional comfort
- For the performance of rituals
- For assistance with reconciliation
- For companionship and friendship
- For assistance with funeral/memorial services
- When facing ethical dilemmas
- When making important decisions
- When feeling helpless or depressed
- When wanting the comfort of prayer
- When seeking solace through sacred writings
- When struggling with life's seeming unfairness or cruelty
- To nurture hope
- To receive encouragement
- To find meaning and purpose
- To experience you are not alone
- To foster connection with the divine
- To share rejoicing and thanksgiving
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