Home is where the heart is. Ministering to homebound patients opens new doors for pastoral care givers.
Today many patients must convalesce or die at home. Thus home healthcare is a growing service. Many home health agencies are finding that caring for patients' spiritual needs can be just as important to their well-being as caring for their physical needs. Four years ago Humboldt Home Health Services (HHHS), Eureka, CA, launched a pastoral care program in response to a growing patient need. HHHS now offers pastoral care free to all its patients. Each certified pastoral care counselor on the staff visits three to five patients each day. They encourage patients to tell their stories, describe adjustments they have had to make to their illnesses, and explore how they are coping emotionally and spiritually with their situations.
Baginski
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Humboldt Home Health Services, Eureka, CA.
D002140:California; D002410:Catholicism; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010327:Pastoral Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation