The Soul's Legacy: A Program Designed to Help Prepare Senior Adults Cope With End-of-Life Existential Distress.
Current innovative psychological therapies have made great progress in addressing existential suffering in dying patients but are often begun to late in the end-of-life process and often ignore religion, which for many is a major component in the meaning-making process. Therefore, this article explores how chaplains (who are familiar with various religious traditions without promoting them) can help prepare senior adults effectively cope with inevitable end-of-life existential issues. The project described in this article provides tools for chaplains to address the real issues that terrify us all, but particularly the elderly: death, isolation, and meaninglessness. It is proposed that the addition of a spiritual will or legacy of the soul added to end-of-life planning can help ameliorate existential suffering at life's end.
a Providence Hospice , Medford , Oregon , USA.
Fred
F
Grewe
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005086:Existentialism / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010327:Pastoral Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013727:Terminal Care
blessing; ethical will; existential distress; legacy; life story