The Spiritual Care And Social Workers’ Intervention Of The Pension Institutions

Nowadays the service of pension institutions calls for the holistic care ofbody,emotion,society and psychology more and more. What do spiritualityand spiritual care actually mean? How is the situation of the spiritual care inthe pension institutions now? And how to build the spiritual care system ofthe pension agency based on Chinese traditional culture? How can socialworkers do to help pension institutions to enhance the level of spiritual care?These issues need us to discuss and pay attention to.This paper proceeds from the view of spiritual perspective on the theoryof social work to understand the service of the Nursing Home G for the agedin different districts especially the area of hospice service to carry out spiritualcare by non-participant observation. It interviewed five aged men, threefamilies and five caregivers from different fields which include a new comer,ahale man in good condition, two men unable to get around on their own and aman who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in the way ofnon-structured interviews to know about their expressions of the needs andexpectations for the spiritual care as well as the interaction among the old,their families and caregivers. It also focuses Group Interview on ten socialworkers to know their advices on their roles, methods and strategies involvedin the spiritual care of the pension agency.According to literature review and analysis of the research oninterview,the meaning of spiritual care surpasses the category of religion inChinese traditional culture in spite of different definitions on the concept. Itmeans the dynamic process of people interact with one-selves, others andthe environment to understand the values of life,maintain the harmonyhuman relations and overcome the current dilemma to attain the healthy mindand growth of life. Spiritual needs company with us for a life-long time. Theexpression of the spiritual needs will show some differences which is influenced by the person’s health conditions, levels of education, lifeexperience, cultural background and other factors. The spiritual care of thecurrent pension agency is still in the preliminary stage. And it has not yetformed the care system.The spiritual care of the pension agency must establish ahuman-centered value on the premise which focuses on the main part of theold and improve the friendship and good interact among the old, their familiesand caregivers. It also should be built on the four standards of giving meaning,enhancing values, promoting communion and over fulfilling the plan on therelationships between people and themselves, people and others, people andthe environment. Attention should be particularly paid to the subjectivefeelings and participation of objects who are taken care of to create asupportive atmosphere.Social workers should play the roles of assessors, coordinators,advocates and supporters in the system of spiritual care of pensioninstitutions as professional helpers to combine two paths of endogenousexplore and external support to enhance the standard of spirituality of themen taken care of. In specific strategies, big events such as new comers tothe nursing house, bad physical condition and dying moment should be theentries. Helpful social ways such as adapting of residential counseling,personal care plans, mutual aid groups,supportive network construction, liferetrospect,life education, hospice care and grief counseling, should be usedcomprehensively as well as maintain a high degree of sensitivity and concernon the spiritual health status of oneself to achieve the effect of helpingothers.