St Joseph's Hospital
PASTORAL CARE
Pastoral Care is involved in the total holistic care of the patient, providing an opportunity for patients, relatives and staff to share about underlying issues, values, questions of purpose and meaning in life; bringing to these people, as fully as possible, the understanding, listening and healing presence of God.
Pastoral Care offers compassionate and empathetic care to patients, their loved ones and staff.
The Department of Pastoral Services
The Department of Pastoral Services is a formal and identifiable structure, accountable to administration, by which the Hospital provides a planned, organised and coordinated service necessary to meet the spiritual needs of the Hospital community - patients, relatives, staff.
We believe that support for each other within the Pastoral Care Department is vital in order to sustain our emotional and psychological energy and due regard be given to the individuality of each other. We are a group of professional people and respect the competency and integrity of each other.
Continuum of Care
Through outreach in the community, as need arises, e.g. patients discharged from Aged Care Psychiatry and Neuroscience Unit are followed up.
Funeral Services are conducted as required for patients from Palliative Care.
Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care, the application of general spiritual principles to a particular human situation, is concerned with the question:
What do spiritual values have to say to this patient or relative that might alleviate guilt, engender courage, hope and self confidence, and provide a sense of meaning and worth?
Chaplaincy
Chaplaincy is integral to pastoral care. Priests and ministers of all denominations are welcome to visit patients and offer them the particular spiritual ministry they desire. The Eucharist is celebrated twice weekly within the hospital for patients, relatives and staff. In the Catholic tradition, sacramental ministry is always available.
Comprehensive Care
Pastoral care personnel are offered the opportunity to be touched by the patient and relatives and are sensitive to the needs of their co-workers. They endeavour in a personal way to encourage and support all staff, not only in their care of patients, but also in their personal needs.
