The role of spiritual care in hospice. Are we meeting patients' needs?

Abstract

Sincehospiceprogramsattempt to provideholistic care to personsnearingtheendof their life span,thereis wide agreementhat this careought to incudeadimensionof spiritual care. Unfortunately, viewpointsdiffer on thecornmonalitiesof spiritual care, in spiteof the convictionof Dame CicelySaundersthat spiritual careis not an “optional extra.” An effort to resolve someof theseissuesbegan with the Conferenceson Secular andNon-secularIssueson DeathandDying at Yale University in 1985and1986.Proceedingsfrom thesecolloquia contributedto the agendaof both the InternationalWork-