Clara's Story
Clara's story showcases how crucial spiritual care practitioners are in offering empathy and comfort amid life-altering changes, such as ageing. It emphasises the need for person-centred care in uncertain times.
Navigating Change Later in Life: Clara's Journey
Meet Clara, a woman in her late 80s who found herself hospitalised after a fall. Physically, Clara was fit for discharge, and wanted to return to the sanctuary of her home, where she felt safe. However, her cognitive impairment and the state of her house presented a challenge.
Clara would have brief moments of clarity, but more often than not, she was unable to understand her situation. Her inability to maintain clarity of mind meant experiencing the shock of her new reality again and again.
The harsh reality meant Clara had to move to a nursing home.
The Compassionate Presence of Spiritual Carers
There are many Claras in our public hospitals. Spiritual care practitioners are some of the few people in the system who can spend time with them, listen to their distress, and comfort them without an agenda.
Who can sit with a patient for an hour while they cry their tears of frustration? Who can listen to their anguish and help them make sense of their unreal situation? Who can discern the story underneath the pain, and give treatment teams real insight into the life and capacities of the person they look after?
An Essential Part of Holistic Healthcare
That’s our role, the role of the Spiritual Care Practitioner.
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Thank you to the spiritual care practitioner who shared this authentic story with us. To respect the privacy and confidentiality of the individuals involved, we have chosen not to disclose their identities.