n Narratief-pastorale perspektief op palliatiewe sorg met terminale pasiente

Abstract

Recent research in palliative care shows that there is a growing interest in pastoral care with a focus on the importance of spirituality and/or religion. Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of both patients and their families by posing a multidisciplinary support structure which looks after the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the patient. Pastoral counselling can add to the quality of life, especially when patients are in the terminal phase of their illness. When bodily healing is no longer possible, pastoral care is still able to enrich a terminal patient’s life in a meaningful way. Terminal patients struggle with life and death for an undetermined time as the final end of their life comes into view. In this struggle, there is a search for purpose, meaning, worth, and hope. They don’t always have the words to describe their own struggles and experiences. Nevertheless, they still have the need to talk to someone who will listen with understanding. Patients have a need for a partner in conversation who will not attempt to explain the state in which they find themselves, but who would rather chaperone them through the painful life experience. The suffering experienced by terminal patients often cause underlying religious questions to surface. In the case where effective palliative care is not present, the management of pain and symptoms is the main priority and the care is focused on relieving physical symptoms. Patients receive no psychological, social, or spiritual counselling or support. The result is that the patient and their next of kin lean more on the pastor and faith community. Psychological and spiritual issues are directed at the pastor with the expectation that the pastor will provide the necessary guidance. These issues are frequently strengthened by the relatives and society’s preconceived ideas regarding health, sickness, cure and healing. This study investigates the pastoral guidance of terminal patients and focuses on the necessity of pastoral care in palliative care. The aim of this study is to find a pastoral model which can provide practical guidelines for pastors and faith communities on how to effectively support and guide terminal patients.