Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern hospice movement, defined total pain as being emotional, social and spiritual distress, which accentuates physical pain. Without addressing each of these factors, she argued, we fail to control pain and distress. When a patient is dying, this becomes more important than ever, yet the pressures of modern living mean that the spiritual needs of patients are all too often ignored.This guide to spiritual care is so valuable because it enables us all to recognise psychosocial and spiritual distress in the dying. It is applicable to dying people of any faith or none; as the authors observe, we share a common humanity if not always a common faith.

The World of Hospice Spiritual Care: A Practical Guide for Palliative Care Chaplains offers a comprehensive study of spiritual care in hospice. Dr. Sullivan's ability to express the role of the spiritual counselor in creative and insightful ways is refreshing. Chaplains serve in interdisciplinary teams to relieve pain and suffering and to improve patients' quality of life. Members of hospice teams must have specialized knowledge in their area of expertise. Hospice chaplains must be familiar with other areas of hospice work and their functions because hospice care components interrelate. Working in the hospice environment offers tremendous satisfaction and challenges. Doug skillfully addresses those challenges and equips chaplains to allow God's presence to shine through them as they minister effectively in palliative care outreaches. This practical guide examines hospice movement history, philosophy and concepts of care, program models, and interdisciplinary teams. Then Dr. Sullivan discusses the psychosocial and spiritual aspects of pain; spiritual assessments and spiritual care plans; the role of spiritual care staff; grief, bereavement, and mourning; and staff grief and stress management. A thorough analysis of these topics introduces caregivers to the world of hospice, which helps the critical role of the spiritual counselor (hospice chaplain) to emerge. Thus, a better understanding of these concepts and the resulting increased technical competence allows hospice chaplains more freedom to impact patients', families', and caregivers' lives through the ministry of presence. The World of Hospice Spiritual Care: A Practical Guide for Palliative Care Chaplains prepares chaplains to offer comfort, kindness, and care to the dying in their communities in their greatest hours of need. The emotional, spiritual, and practical helps hospice chaplains provide through the ministry of presence can make all the difference in the world for their neighbors. Indeed, hospice chaplains are ordinary people inspired by extraordinary purpose, allowing God's manifest presence to change people's lives through palliative care ministry.

The World of Hospice Spiritual Care: A Practical Guide for Palliative Care Chaplains offers a comprehensive study of spiritual care in hospice. Dr. Sullivan's ability to express the role of the spiritual counselor in creative and insightful ways is refreshing. Chaplains serve in interdisciplinary teams to relieve pain and suffering and to improve patients' quality of life. Members of hospice teams must have specialized knowledge in their area of expertise. Hospice chaplains must be familiar with other areas of hospice work and their functions because hospice care components interrelate. Working in the hospice environment offers tremendous satisfaction and challenges. Doug skillfully addresses those challenges and equips chaplains to allow God's presence to shine through them as they minister effectively in palliative care outreaches. This practical guide examines hospice movement history, philosophy and concepts of care, program models, and interdisciplinary teams. Then Dr. Sullivan discusses the psychosocial and spiritual aspects of pain; spiritual assessments and spiritual care plans; the role of spiritual care staff; grief, bereavement, and mourning; and staff grief and stress management. A thorough analysis of these topics introduces caregivers to the world of hospice, which helps the critical role of the spiritual counselor (hospice chaplain) to emerge. Thus, a better understanding of these concepts and the resulting increased technical competence allows hospice chaplains more freedom to impact patients', families', and caregivers' lives through the ministry of presence. The World of Hospice Spiritual Care: A Practical Guide for Palliative Care Chaplains prepares chaplains to offer comfort, kindness, and care to the dying in their communities in their greatest hours of need. The emotional, spiritual, and practical helps hospice chaplains provide through the ministry of presence can make all the difference in the world for their neighbors. Indeed, hospice chaplains are ordinary people inspired by extraordinary purpose, allowing God's manifest presence to change people's lives through palliative care ministry.

This book examines the services that chaplains provide to dying patients and the unique relationship that palliative care staff construct with people at the end of life. It explores the nature of hope when faced with the inevitable and develops a theory of spiritual care rooted in relationship that has implications for all healthcare professionals.

Caring for someone you love who is terminally ill is one of the most difficult and troubling things to confront anyone. Stay Close and Do Nothing, now available in paperback, is the first practical manual and spiritual guide to explain step-by-step how to care for a dying loved one at home, in a way that encourages both the spiritual growth of the patient and the caregiver.Dying is a complex process and the dying person has multiple needs, which the book addresses in great detail. Readers will learn practical nursing skills, effective pain treatments, appropriate cooking and feeding techniques, how to organize the household and handle visitors, what happens at the moment of death, and how to manage grief.

A useful guide to being present and offering comfort to the dying and their families. Megory Anderson was called to a vigil at the bedside of a friend who was dying one night. That experience was so powerful that she began working with others who needed help attending to those who were dying. Today Anderson is the executive director of the Sacred Dying Foundation in San Francisco, and trains others in the art of "vigiling," a way of attending to the needs of the dying. This practical and concise handbook provides a brief overview of what to expect and how to respond to the needs of someone who is dying. Attending the Dying can be used by and for people of any faith perspective, as well as no particular faith. Chaplains, social workers, hospital-care workers, and friends or family of the dying will all find this a helpful companion for preparing themselves to be present to one of life's most sacred transitions.

Nearly half of people at the end of life will receive hospice care, but few psychologists, nurses, physicians, chaplains, and hospice workers have been trained specifically to recognize and address the psychological, social, and emotional issues that may arise in patients who are dying. Patients in the midst of advanced terminal illness may experience a variety of distressing emotions, and may feel anxious, frightened, regretful, or desperate. This guide was created specifically to guide helping professionals of all kinds through the process of working through patients’ psychological issues to allow them peace and comfort in their final moments. The Helping Professional’s Guide to End-of-Life Care clarifies the spiritual and emotional care that patients need and presents an evidence-based approach integrating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), transpersonal psychotherapy, hypnosis, mindfulness, and guided imagery to help patients manage emotional distress at the end of life. Through case conceptualizations and detailed treatment planning guidance, readers learn to formulate comprehensive assessment and treatment plans for patients and gain skills that will help them manage the emotional intensity of this work. This secular, professional treatment model can be applied to patients of any religious or spiritual background. The book also addresses integrating the patient’s therapeutic team with the medical team, addressing the emotional needs of friends and family of the dying, crisis intervention for suicidal patients, working with clients on psychotropic medications, and how helping professionals can manage their own emotions to become more effective clinicians.