Palliative care is rooted in the affirmation that death is one step in the journey of life. This care begins when a person is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, and continues through the spectrum from anticipatory grief right through bereavement.
Spirituality
has to do with important beliefs, values or activities. Every individual
is a spiritual being. Hospice palliative care encourages the awareness and
development of each person’s own spirituality. Although spirituality
is often nurtured and expressed in religious contexts, spirituality is also
reflected in many other ways such as the love of gardening, music, art or
nature.
Spiritual caregiving may look like:
| • |
a quiet companioning presence |
| • | just listening |
| • | an expression of love and compassion |
| • | humour or a friendly chat |
| • | a prayer |
At Victoria Hospice, spiritual care services include:
| • | consultation with our Coordinator of Spiritual and Religious Care |
| • | spiritual counselling |
| • | help in planning funerals or other rituals to mark times of loss and change |
| • | help to connect with a faith or traditions that have meaning for you |
| • | companioning by a volunteer |
| • | referral to community clergy and faith communities |
When facing death, these are some questions people may want to explore:
| • | what is my deepest desire? |
| • | What creates a sense of safety in my life? |
| • | Am I afraid? |
| • | What invests my life with meaning? |
| • | What do I believe happens after I die? |
Spirituality is reflected in each person’s most precious beliefs, values or activities. Spiritual caregiving helps a person to live fully until death occurs.
Rev.
Margaret Harper
is our full-time Coordinator of Spiritual and Religious Care.
Margaret is available for spiritual care consultation to our registered
patients at home as well as to those on our unit. The Coordinator provides direct spiritual and/or religious care to patients
and families, and ensures ongoing spiritual care support and training for
Victoria Hospice volunteers and staff. Members of the counselling and
spiritual care team at Victoria Hospice can provide helpful assistance to
families of registered patients as they anticipate death. Our
Spiritual and Religious Care Coordinator also hosts two important annual community
events: our
Celebrate-A-Life Memorial Service every December, and the
Victoria Hospice
Spiritual Care Conference, open to the general public each
spring.
A lovely Quiet/Meditation room is located on the Victoria Hospice in-patient unit for the use of our patients, family and staff.
Community Support: Our Spiritual Care Coordinator can help patients
or family members in locating appropriate religious support from the community.
Funeral or Memorial Planning: While
it isn’t necessary to have a funeral, it’s usually wise to make
some arrangements to recognize in some intentional way the fact that a person
has died.
Funeral directors work with families to provide them with support and
assistance at the time of death and when making arrangements for burial
or cremation. Funeral Directors have a wealth of experience regarding
traditions and mourning rituals for the bereaved.
|
For
more information about funeral and
memorial arrangements: • Funeral Services Association of BC • Cemetery and Funeral Services: Making Informed Decisions
•
Funeral
Celebrants: Certified Funeral Celebrants providing
personalized memorial, celebration of life and funeral services in
Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia
• A Funeral In BC |
Read our list of recommended books on spirituality and dying.
Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the gentle night to you.
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you.
Deep peace to you.
To read other prayers, visit Vancouver Island Health Authority's Spiritual and Pastoral Care site.