Emotional and Spiritual Support
Kind, loving care — body, mind, and spirit.
During the last few months of life, physical well-being is only one aspect of care. Patients who are nearing the end of their lives also have emotional and spiritual needs that need to be met. It is possible — even vital — to die well, to end our time on this planet with a sense of completion and purpose and grace. As our patients look back over their lives and explore what it means to be completing their journeys, our social workers and spiritual care provides support, resources, and kind companionship along the way.
Caregivers also need support as they care for their loved ones. Our social workers and chaplains listen with compassion and provide resources to assist with challenges and enhance coping and self-care. We provide support to the entire family, knowing that even though each person feels the emotions and losses at end-of-life in their own unique ways, having caring support can make all the difference.
Our support in the last weeks and months of life include:
- Emotional support that gives family members a chance to talk out their concerns, worries, challenges, and grief.
- Spiritual care that helps the patient and family explore what faith means to them in their context and understanding.
- Sharing what we know about grief before the loss of of a loved one and how to help ease the feelings.
- Educating on how to approach important conversations at the end of life.
- Learning ways to lessen stress, through mindfulness, guided imagery, or other techniques.
- Assisting in facilitating contact (writing letters, making calls, arranging visits) with family members who have been at a distance
- Helping the patient or family member reconnect with a community of faith
- Providing assistance in fulfilling important observances (baptism, Sacrament of the Sick)
- Assisting with resources for family members seeking paid caregivers, facility placement, assistance with FMLA paperwork, and more.
At Suburban Hospice we also have an extensive bereavement program that provides grief support for 13 months following the death of the loved one. To learn more about our bereavement services, please visit our Bereavement Care page.