Spirituality and end-of-life experiences: Meeting the spiritual needs of the dying

Abstract

Most patients in palliative care report that it is very important to receive health care that is respectful, compassionate, and culturally sensitive to their spiritual needs. Providing spiritual care to people approaching the end of life and understanding that their mental and spiritual experiences constitutes a key aspect to providing a more effective treatment and quality of life at this moment. End-of-life experience (ELE) provide comfort, and represents a source of spirituality and meaning to the dying. Spiritual experiences also give hope, meaning, and strength to family members and healthcare professionals dealing with terminal conditions and suffering. This chapter reviews the scientific evidence about ELEs and discusses the potential clinical implications of these experiences to healthcare practice. Different patients’ vignettes are presented to illustrate and provide practical guidance to understanding and addressing ELE and spiritual care in end-of-life care settings.