Spiritual Care At The End Of Life - Hong Kong Society of Palliative ...

HKSPM Newsletter
Conclusion
Spiritual needs are present and significant for
may patients in their last stage of life but many
healthcare workers lack the necessary skill to
uncover and address these issues (Murray 2004).
In providing holistic care to our patients and their
families, the spiritual aspect of the human being
cannot be ignored. Spiritual care may be specially
critical in palliative care where patients often
experience existential suffering and ask spiritual
questions. When a patient is at the end of life, we
cannot expect any physical growth or physical
healing but there is still room for spiritual growth
and spiritual healing. Meeting their spiritual care
needs can help to provide a patient with a good
ending in his life despite his physical suffering.
However, Spirituality is probably one of the most
ignored areas in healthcare research including the
palliative care field and further investigation in this
area is cogently needed (McGrath 1999).
Reconciliation, letting go, finding inner peace and
hope facilitated by good spiritual care and support
had been observed happening in many of the dying
persons.
Reference:
1. Breitbart W (200l). Spirituality and meaning in support
care: Spirituality-and meaning-centered group
psychotherapy interventions in advanced cancer.
Supportive Care in Cancer, 10(4): 272-280.
2. Breitbart W, Heller KS (2002). Reframing hope: Meaningcentered
care for patients near the end of life. An
interview with William Breitbart. Innovations in End-of
–Life Care, 4(6): www.edu.org/lastacts.
3. Chochinov HM (2002). Thinking outside the box:
Depression, hope, and meaning at the end of life:
Innovations in End-of-Life Care, 4(6): www.edc.org/lastacts.
4. Chao CSC (1993). The meaning of good dying of Chinese
terminally ill cancer patients in Taiwan. Ann Arbor, Mich:
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6. Herth K (1990). Fostering hope in terminally ill people.
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7. King DE (2000). Faith, Spirituality, and Medicine. New York:
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8. Keonig H,.McCullough ME, Larson DB (2001). Handbook of
Religion and Health. New York: Oxford University Press.
9. McGrath P. Review: exploring spirituality through
research: an important but challenging task. Prog Palliat
Care 1999: 7: 3-9
10. Murray SA, Kendall M, Boyd K, Worth A, Benton TF.
Exploring the spiritual needs of people dying of lung cancer
or heart failure: a prospective qualitative interview study of
patients and their carers. Palliative Medicine t 2004; 18:
39-45.
11. O’Gorman ML (2002). Spiritual care at the end of life.
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12. Scottish Executive Health Department. Guidelines on
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Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2002.
13. Shelly, JA (2000). Spiritual Care: A guide for caregivers.
Illinois: Inter Varsity Press.
14. Sulmasy DP (2002). A biopsychosocial-spiritual model for
the care of patients at the end of life. The Gerontologist,
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15.Yuan, HS (1998). The needs and care of terminally
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December 1,2004 from Cancer.org.tw website:
http://www.cancer.org.tw/Library/Content7_Detail.aspID=1252
(in Chinese).
Figure I: The “3Rs” Phenomenon
leading to a peaceful death
RECONCILIATION with self,
others and GOD
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to RECONCILE to himself all
things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But
now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without
blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1: 19-22)
HKSPM Newsletter Mar 2004 Issue 1 : p 10