Pastoral Relationship with People with Intellectual ... - Theses

241I find myself sitting adjacent to Jim as he lays dozing in his bed. Jim isabout 70 and, in his prime, would’ve cut a solid figure. He was talkative andenjoyed a joke. He was born with a significant intellectual disability and, whilsthis Mum and Dad supported him as best they could eventually they felt their bestwasn’t enough. And so, he was transferred to this institution for people withintellectual disabilities at the age of 11. 585He has lived in various accommodation areas in this facility over thedecades, but now finds himself in the aged care section living under palliativecare orders. While he has endured many hospitalisations and operations over theyears, which he has generally accepted with a pragmatic, resilient spirit, Jim isnow close to death.His pain is minimised due to constant doses of morphine enabling him torest peacefully and drift into sleep on a regular basis. Nurses and other carerskeep a regular vigil at his bedside checking his comfort and attending to medicaland bodily needs. They ensure his favourite music is playing quietly in thebackground. They leave his door open so that he can hear the familiar reassuringsounds of staff and friends as they go about their daily routines.I sit by his bed for some time stroking his arm, saying little. However, as Iknow him to have his own Christian faith, I hold his hand gently and utter a quietpastoral prayer, finishing with the familiar Lord’s Prayer. I then quietly drift intoa couple of verses of the old hymn ‘Jesus Loves Me’ before resuming a quietpose, searching his face for signs of response.I think back over the nine years I have known him. I’m appreciative of hisacceptance of me over that time, of his desire to tell me stories of his family andinstitution, some of which go back a long time. They are stories told with enoughtone and description to suggest they are important wefts in the fabric of his life.He’s let me sit with him in times of celebration, such as birthdays, and he’s letme sit with him in times of pain. He is so gracious and hospitable towards me.I think of his parents who trod a regular path to his institutional bedsideover many years, and of other family who continued this nurturing and sustaininghabit after Mum and Dad had died. I think of the sorrow that many parents have585 Several decades ago it was policy in at least one South Australian institution that parentswho sought institutional accommodation for their child had to have had their child acceptedinto the institution before their twelfth birthday.