Biography
Biography: Tracey Heath
Abstract
Holistic palliative Care as a specialty continue to evolve in Australia resulting in community expectations that older people with a life-limiting illness can 'live until they die' in an atmosphere of care and support, such as residential aged care settings (Palliative Care Australia, 2008, p.1). How frequently in aged care settings do we, as nurses and health care professionals, hear the questions being asked by our colleagues, “Has the resident received their morning medication? Personal hygiene been completed? Care plan been adhered to?” But how often do we hear the question being asked, “Has the resident's spiritual needs been attended to? Has their spirit been cared for?” I would suggest that this is not always a common occurrence, and it is an important issue for all health care professionals to ponder. In this Poster presentation, I will display from a nurse’s perspective, the importance of caring for the resident’s “spirit”, during end of life care and the various ways that this may be implemented. Neglecting the spiritual needs of the elderly is particularly problematic, since research has indicated that the aged population is a highly spiritual and religious group (Weaver and Flannelly, 2001; Bearon and Koeing, 1990; Young, 1993.)
Throughout the literature, it is evident that nursing home residents do experience a number of spiritual needs, particularity in end of life care, which are often neglected due to nurses' inability to recognize and identify specific spiritual needs. A current nursing focus is the practice of holistic palliative care and all that it entails. According to Burhurt (1989), this includes the domain of care for the spirit and spirituality.
In caring for the resident's spirit, the palliative care nurse or Health Care professional attempts to create a safe, sensitive and nurturing environment in which the resident is able to contemplate and address existential and spiritual concerns. This provides the opportunity for the resident to share their story, by articulating those things in life which are important to them, give meaning to their life, and nurtures their spirit. The presence of 'being there' and holding the sacred space is imperative for the nurse or health care professional to maintain, when caring for the spirit of the resident. By using sensitive listening skills to hear the resident's story, the health care professional can assist in addressing the needs of the aged.
Tailoring to the individual's needs is an important aspect of holistic palliative care, which requires sensitive listening, a multidisciplinary team approach, so as to ensure adequate care of body, mind and spirit. Providing spiritual support is the responsibility of the aged care team and must be fulfilled in order to enhance a resident's quality of life. Tailoring a specific care plan appropriate to the individual and their family is an imperative aspect of holistic palliative aged care.