Spirituality, religion, and Alzheimer's disease.
The chaplain's ministry to persons with dementia, often of the Alzheimer's type, is vitally relevant to their clinical well-being. No chaplain should even think that because someone is demented, they can no longer be reached spiritually. While few scientific studies exist, clinical experience and anecdotal accounts suggest that selected pastoral interventions can enhance the quality of life of the mildly, moderately, and even severely demented individual.
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Center for Biomedical Ethics, Department of Religion, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Whitehouse
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D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010327:Pastoral Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012649:Self Concept; D014481:United States