ChurchLink Winter 2015 Issue No. 54
Settling contentedly into RESIDENTIAL aged care Life Care chaplain Sue Ind has provided an uplifting case study on how emotional support can help a person transition happily into aged care. Her story illustrates Life Care’s understanding of the personal challenges that people face coming into residential care and the benefits of quality engagement with them and their families to make it a positive experience. Sue, the chaplain at Life Care’s Aldinga Beach Court, explained that the resident, Molly, moved into the home last year. “When I first met Molly, she was feeling depressed and having difficulty adjusting to being in an aged care home,” Sue said. “She explained that she was a private person and would probably spend the rest of her life staying in her room. My heart went out to Molly. “I knew that she had supportive family members who were very concerned about her. I contacted them and offered emotional support at this difficult time for them all. “As weeks went by, I regularly visited Molly and she was always very welcoming. She started to share insights about her life, including her childhood years, moving to Australia, getting married and having her family.
Sue Ind, Chaplain at Life Care’s Aldinga Beach Court
‘Like Molly’s family, I have enjoyed seeing her blossom and settle into a new lifestyle at Aldinga Beach Court’
“Molly told me of her feelings about loss and grief. She had cared for her much-loved husband until he died and she missed him terribly. She also missed her home and garden, and failing eyesight meant that she could no longer enjoy her craftwork. “Another loss that Molly found particularly difficult was the death of her adored cat. “As the Aldinga Beach Court chaplain, I empathise with residents who share with me the challenges and losses that advancing years often bring. “Over time, I noticed a gradual change in Molly. She started to come out of her room for meals and for daily walks. She started to smile and chat with others and regularly told me how wonderfully
the staff cared for her. Molly had not previously been involved in a church and one day she asked me if she could come to the weekly worship service. She was welcomed and now attends every week. “Over time, Molly developed a very positive outlook joining in conversations and developing friendships with others at Aldinga Beach Court. She said recently how pleased she was about coming to live with Life Care. “There are many similar stories and, like Molly’s family, I have enjoyed seeing her blossom and settle into a new lifestyle.”
263 Melbourne Street North Adelaide SA 5006
T (08) 8239 9800
W lifecare.org.au
SkillED and uniform approach to dealing with the reality of end-of-life issues Life Care’s chaplains have made a valuable contribution to core training for staff within the organisation to address issues of grief and loss. It is part of a new model of chaplaincy being introduced by Life Care in support of residents, clients, families, staff and volunteers. Coordinating Chaplain, Bill Hall, said staff training on facing death and coping with grief had evolved from the implementation of its Palliative Approach: The Life Care Way. The program features palliative care initiatives that are considered to be at the forefront of the aged care industry in Australia, and they represent a uniform approach to end-of-life care issues for Life Care residents and clients. Life Care staff members undertake core training on a range of issues each year and the chaplaincy team contributed to the latest round at residential sites in March and April.
‘We should never underestimate the worth of what we do to help our residents and clients to Live Every Day’ They are advised to give themselves time to process the loss and to say goodbye. In dealing with a dying person in aged care, staff members are committed to having a “sensitive presence”. “Even at death, a person wants to be heard and understood,” Bill said. “Simply being there with a resident or client in these circumstances can be calming. “Listening may be the greatest gift we can give to another person. We may be silent, but our hearts and minds are embracing what is being said.
“It was the first time that we have played a role in core training, and the response from staff members was very positive,” Bill said.
“Listening is also the most helpful thing we can do in supporting family and friends to cope with death and grief.”
“Working in aged care means that we are constantly dealing with death and grief.
Chaplain and grief counsellor, Sue Ind, said the needs of many bereaved people were to feel supported, face reality, express feelings and move forward towards the “re-establishment of self.”
“It impacts on us personally, as it does on the person who is dying and their family and loved ones. “We are in the business of caring, so by the very nature of our work we are drawn into relationships with those for whom we care.” As part of the training presented by Life Care chaplains, staff were reminded that if a person could be made comfortable through the Life Care Way in palliative care, he or she would be free to work on “matters of the heart” in preparation for death. On a personal level, Life Care staff members at all levels are encouraged to ask how death and grief is affecting them personally.
“Just as there can be strength in a silent presence for a person facing death, there can be healing in encouraging people to talk about grief,” Sue explained. “After a death, people often want to talk about the deceased person and their relationship with them, and their feelings about how the death has affected them.” In the core training program, it was reinforced that Life Care staff dealing with death and grief should work as a team, making use of their skills and experience to provide the best levels of care. “As we work together in a spirit of cooperation, we can provide extra emotional support - professionally and personally - to those who are dealing with issues of loss and grief,” Sue said. “We should never underestimate the worth of what we do to help our residents and clients to Live Every Day. We can make such a difference to their well-being not just by what we do, but by who we are.”
Coordinating Chaplain, Bill Hall
www.lifecare.org.au