title: Spiritual needs and spiritual care for veterans at end of life and their families.
abstract: Spiritual care is an important domain of palliative care programs across the country and in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System specifically. This qualitative study assessed the spiritual needs, spiritual care received, and satisfaction with spiritual care of both Veterans at the end of life and their families. Seventeen Veterans and 9 family members participated. They expressed a wide range of spiritual needs, including a wish of Veterans to have a better understanding of traumatic events that occurred during their combat experience. Some Veterans reported military experience enhanced their spirituality. Generally, respondents reported satisfaction with VA spiritual care, but indicated that Veterans may benefit from greater access to VA chaplains and explicit discussion of the impact of their military experience on their spirituality.
authors.affiliation: VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA. bhchang@bu.edu
authors.forename: Bei-Hung
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Nathan R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trevino
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hendricks
authors.forename: Lara M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Skarf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000379:methods; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D029181:Spirituality; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*