Giving you comfort and support, spiritual care practitioners can help address the profound thoughts and feelings that can poignantly arise at times of significant illness or trauma.
What to expect
Spirituality as a dimension of care
Spirituality encompasses how we feel, think and perceive our life as human beings. Spiritual care practitioners consider the whole human experience when someone is experiencing the crisis of illness and related suffering.
For many people, feeling connected to one’s spiritual source at such a time of upheaval and finding meaning and purpose gives them comfort. Each person’s need may take different forms, such as a patient’s anxiety over an upcoming major surgery or someone coming to terms with the news of a life-altering condition. For patients and families in the most challenging circumstances, the crisis may involve anticipatory grief at the prospect of a life-ending illness and facing death itself.
Spiritual care is available to acute care patients, care home residents, families and staff, irrespective of religious or spiritual affiliation. Professional spiritual care practitioners hold a master’s degree that includes extensive academic and clinical education that equips them to work in multi-faith environments. The provincial government recognizes the profession, which has provided an official framework to guide its practice in health authority governed facilities.
Resources
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Types of spiritual care services
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Education opportunities
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Access this service
Spiritual care practitioners visit most hospital units regularly and are available by referral to all units. Hospital staff may refer by telephone. Once the referral is made, the practitioner will follow up directly with the patient for their spiritual needs.
Spiritual care practitioners are available by referral to any Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) location.
Types of spiritual care services
Spiritual care practitioners visit most hospital units regularly and are available by referral to all units. Hospital staff may refer by telephone.
Professional education opportunities
Learn more about spiritual care professional education opportunities.
Find this service near you
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Long term care homes
Dogwood Lodge
500 West 57th Avenue Vancouver -
Long term care homes
Evergreen House
231 East 15th Street North Vancouver -
G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre
4255 Laurel Street Vancouver -
Long term care homes
George Pearson Centre
700 West 57th Avenue Vancouver -
Lions Gate Hospital (LGH)
231 East 15th Street North Vancouver -
Hospices
North Shore Hospice
319 East 14th Street North Vancouver -
Richmond Hospital (RH)
7000 Westminster Highway Richmond -
UBC Hospital (UBCH)
2211 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver -
Vancouver General Hospital (VGH)
899 West 12th Avenue Vancouver