WHAT IS PASTORAL CARE?
There is increasing awareness today that physical well-being (or good health) is more than just a biological or bodily phenomenon. Everything from the conditions in which we live to how we feel about ourselves can contribute to our health or, conversely, make us susceptible to illness. Studies have been conducted which demonstrate that a healthy spirit tends to maintain a healthy body and can aid in recovery where there is illness.
The Pastoral Care personnel are here to assist you in reaching and/or maintaining a healthy state of spiritual well-being.
ISN'T THIS ABOUT RELIGION?
For many people, their religious beliefs stand at the centre and foundation of their spirituality. Others discover spirituality outside of religious structures. We will try to work within your own belief system to help you access the strength your spirituality can offer to healing you as a person.
WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?
The Pastoral Care providers try to greet each new patient admitted to the hospital to make known to you the services which are available through the department.
The kind and style of pastoral care you receive, should you choose to avail yourself of this service, will depend greatly on you. It might be as casual and unstructured as the occasional visit and discussion about matters that concern you.
If you practice religion, formally or informally, we will structure our care in ways familiar and comfortable to you. If you prefer, we will invite a minister or spiritual leader from your own faith community to provide pastoral care.
WHAT ABOUT PRAYER?
Prayer can be an important part of this work and has demonstrated remarkably positive results in recent studies, but for some it can be a hard thing to request. The Pastoral Care providers are ready to help you with this at any time.
WHAT WE WILL NOT DO
The Pastoral Care chaplains/visitors will not engage in proselytizing, nor will we try to draw you away from your own beliefs, but rather help you use what you already believe in for your own benefit.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
This question is difficult to answer as it is not well understood how or why mind/body/spirit work together. Some things are known; for instance, studies seem to indicate that anger can lower the body's natural immunity. Personal loss or feelings of insecurity can also make a negative contribution.
In the same way, feelings of hope or self-worth, understanding that one is loved and perhaps even in a position to be of help to another - especially a loved one, can all contribute positively to good health.
Sometimes, we have feelings of guilt or regret about something we did or did not do - Pastoral Care will try to help you deal with these and similar issues. Often times, there are matters which cause anxiety because they seem to be left hanging and we don't know what, if anything, we can do about them. Pastoral Care will try to help you find resolution to such "unfinished" business.
These are just some examples, and, while religion can be a good way to approach these situations, there are other ways as well. The Pastoral Care personnel/visitors will try to help you find the way to which you are best suited and that will be of the greatest benefit to you.
WHEN LIFE IS ENDING
It is appropriate to say a word about dying. Death is not a disease, but rather the natural conclusion to human life and an experience we all know we shall share.
Because of the nature of a hospital, we know that a certain number of illnesses, accidents and injuries, or the above in combination with advancing age or other bodily weakness, will result in death. Some of these will be more predictable than others. The Pastoral Care personnel/visitors are prepared to assist the dying and their families through this time.
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