As we age, the conversation around care often centres around our physical health. But one important element is often overlooked–spirituality.
There are many ways to experience and express spirituality. For some, it’s rooted in religion or faith. For others, it may be connecting with nature, the arts, or volunteerism. Some people may be spiritual throughout their lives, while others may discover or reconnect with spirituality later in life.
Long-term care (LTC) homes bring together people from diverse backgrounds–each with their own experiences, family traditions, religion, culture, and personal exploration. Creating an inclusive environment that welcomes, respects, and appreciates everyone’s spiritual expression is not just a comfort measure—it is a vital part of person-centred care, and research shows that spirituality can reduce depression, lower anxiety, improve quality of life, and ease difficult transitions.
Ways to Support Spirituality in LTC
There are many ways to support spirituality in LTC. Jane Kuepfer, Schlegel Specialist in Spirituality and Aging at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA), developed four resources to improve spiritual care practices in LTC. The resources focus on the role of spiritual care, hiring tips, and ways to help team members meet the unique spiritual, religious, and cultural needs of residents, including people living with dementia and those nearing the end of life.
Below are some evidence-based ways to support spirituality in LTC:
- Conduct a spiritual care assessment to understand resident experiences, what is meaningful to them, and how they would like to be supported.
- Connect with community resources, such as local faith-based organizations and community groups.
- When speaking with residents, be completely present and remove any distractions that may make it harder to hear, see, or talk with them.
- Affirm people’s feelings and experiences. Validation can be a powerful form of support.
- Honour the residents’ end-of-life values and preferences to ensure care aligns with what is meaningful to them.
Discover more about spiritual care in LTC by exploring our research at the-ria.ca/resources/providing-spiritual-care-in-ltc/.