Spiritual care

Palliative Care takes a holistic view of people who face progressive life-limiting illness and this includes the spiritual aspects of living and dying. Spirituality is a broad domain that is manifest in the sacred worldviews, beliefs, practices, and meanings around which people orientate their lives. Attending to the spirituality of patients ensures that their spiritual concerns are understood and addressed, the spiritual resources of the patient are recognized and enabled, and that care decisions and treatment choices are sensitive to the spiritual orientation of the patient. This chapter draws on current research and scholarship to explore spirituality in relation to living and dying well including beliefs and practices, suffering, and facing death. The practical aspects of spiritual care are also addressed and consideration is given to spiritual assessments, modes of spiritual care, and available resources.