--> Note: I developed the following as a handout to leave with Hospice patients and families after my initial visit. I thought, perhaps, you might be interested in the answer to this question, too. And, I wondered: If you were challenged to develop a one page paper that describes the ministry you do - laity or ordained, in or outside of the church - what would that look like?
What do Hospice Chaplains do?
The answer to
that question may be different than you think.
Hospice
Chaplains work as part of a holistic team that cares for your body, mind and spirit.
Chaplains
work with skilled nurses, social workers and CNAs to provide you with quality
holistic care.
We
honor your spirituality and/or faith tradition, if you have one.
Chaplains
don’t take the place of your spiritual leader, your pastor, minister, priest,
rabbi, or imam. Chaplains also serve those who don’t have a spiritual leader or
a faith community.
Whether you are a
patient or a family member, Hospice Chaplains:
Walk with you on this journey of
hospice.
Help
you determine if you’re anxious about or afraid of anything . . . and we help
you work through those anxieties or fears.
Learn
from you and try to help you find peace.
Honor
and help you better understand what YOU believe – not what the chaplain
believes.
Work
alongside any spiritual leader you have, because chaplains and pastors have
different roles. If you haven’t been in contact with them, we will contact them
for you, if you like.
Help
you with difficult conversations and tough decisions.
Assist
in funeral preparations and officiate at funerals, if you want.
Help
you connect or reconnect with others.
Listen
to your life story and, if you’d like, share some stories of faith from sacred
writings.
If
you wish, we do pray with you and for you.
Elizabeth+, you have spoken to the truest definitions of what chaplains and hospice chaplains are and what they do....Thank you so much as this is such an affirmation to my calling as well as those of many others.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Catherine. As you know, it's not an easy job. Oh, the stories behind each of those descriptives! But, oh, my, do I love this ministry.
ReplyDeleteOver the past year or so I've read your posts on your chaplaincy with great interest - I've always admired those who work with the dying. Little did I know that your posts were preparing me to face my own mother's very short illness (a glioblastoma that was detected on December 5) and death on January 11. We had hospice nurses at my parents' house, and they helped me to overcome my own hesitancy and participate in bathing, dressing, and other tasks of care. I was nervous. I was a zombie. But I could do it, and I think that understanding hospice as prayer-through-work helped me. Thank you for your writing.
ReplyDelete