The Pastoral Department at TUFF Services Ministries, has created a volunteer Chaplaincy Training Program, that enhances, educates and supports potentially new volunteer Chaplain's, with the proper training tools and resources, to provide the spiritual care of patients, survivors and their families. The department’s mission is based on a nondenominational-Christian faith and is designed to promote the healing process as part of a united effort with other professionals in the health care field. This common work is strengthened by the relationship established between our department's training tools, resources and experience, along with other organizations of the religious community.
The Chaplain's in our department, are volunteers, who are qualified through their front-line-training experience, in addition to their education with our organization, to offer proper spiritual care to all people. They are also trained in the sensitivity of individual beliefs, that enable them to meet people at the point of their needs.
What does a chaplain do?
- Comforts, counsels, cares
- Helps, hopes, honors
- Assists, acknowledges, advocates
- Prays, praises, pastors
- Listens, laments, laughs
- Accepts, acts, advises
- Invites, interprets, instructs
- Notices needs, nurtures
- Service to all
RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUAL SUPPORT
What is Religion?
Religion refers to a personal set, or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Usually religion is thought to be an organized system of faith that uses ceremonies and rules to guide followers who worship a God or a group of gods. The five largest religions in the world include Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
What is Spirituality?
Spirituality can be a broad concept that usually implies a connection to something bigger than oneself. The term can be used to describe any activity that helps one find meaning and purpose.
It may also refer to personal growth, blissful experience, and connectedness. Spirituality can be different for each and every person. Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care understands spirituality as that which brings meaning to a person’s life.
What is Spiritual Distress?
Spiritual distress can occur with a disruption in one’s beliefs, values or sense of meaning or hope. It can affect a person’s entire being, including their physical body and their relationships.
Individuals who do not follow a formal spiritual tradition still may experience significant spiritual distress especially as they experience crisis and loss.
Signs and Symptoms of Spiritual Distress:
- Questioning the meaning of life and/or death
- Questioning the meaning of suffering
- A sense of emptiness or loss of direction
- Hopelessness or deep despair
- Fear of going to sleep or other fears
- Questioning your own belief system
- Anger at God/higher power
- Feeling abandoned by God/higher power
- Pain and other physical symptoms that cannot be helped with medications or other medical treatment
Tell Your Care Team About:
- Any indications of the thoughts, feelings or behaviors listed above
- Known history of spiritual distress
- Indications of not caring about oneself and life in general
- Suddenly rejecting or neglecting previous beliefs or spiritual practices
How Caregivers Can Help:
- Asking questions means you care – as does your Care Team. Do not think that you are bothering the Care Team with questions.
- Talk to someone you can trust. It could be someone you have long trusted, or a neutral Care Team member, with whom you can share thoughts and feelings about spirituality or religion.
- Don’t dismiss too quickly, reassure, or negatively judge someone who mentions painful or frightening spiritual topics. Many people need to work through spiritual wounds, fears or “unfinished business” in order to come to peace before they die. Listen without judgment and get help from a spiritual leader or professional to support the person who is struggling. **Your Care Team includes a spiritual care expert, a chaplain, who is there to help people explore and resolve spiritual and/or religious questions**