While funded through donations, Spiritual and Palliative Care is a core program at MSMH that allows us fulfil our mission, vision and values.
Spiritual and Palliative Care improves a resident’s emotional and physical health while enhancing their quality-of-life. With Spiritual Care, an individual’s spiritual or religious needs are addressed as they face illness, loss, grief, and pain. Palliative Care supports individuals as they prepare to die and provides guidance and comfort while actively dying. Spiritual and Palliative Care are always very important programs. During Covid-19, these programs are even more imperative to ensure the frail, vulnerable and elderly receive the care and support they deserve during an especially difficult time.
A few stories:
Anne, our Leader, Spiritual Care, visited a resident who was cognitive but had not been able to verbalize for several months. Her eyes said everything. Anne previously spoke with this resident many times and knew her story well. The evening Anne visited, she prayed with her about all the things the resident was holding on for and believing God to sort out for her family. The resident died early the next morning. Anne was in the right place at the right time for the resident to know someone was joining in her needs and remembering.
Anne has spent time with many residents to help find their hope and courage and embrace life as it is now. After some focused work, residents have said such things as: “you have witnessed a miracle; I want to live now”, “you know me so well and this is the best gift you could have ever given me”, and “that makes my heart feel good.”
