Spirituality and Hospice Social Work

Many hospice social workers must address spiritual issues with their clients, but do not feel competent to do so effectively. This targeted volume draws upon multidisciplinary theory and research to advance a relational model of spiritually sensitive hospice care. The book will help readers elevate their spiritual competence and foster a relationship with their clients that will enrich the experience for all involved.

Spirituality and Hospice Social Work helps practitioners understand various forms of spiritual assessment for use with their clients. The book teaches practitioners to recognize a client's spiritual needs and resources, as well as signs of spiritual suffering. It also discusses religious and spiritual practices that clients may use to enhance their spiritual coping. Spirituality and Hospice Social Work stresses the need for interdisciplinary collaboration with other members of the hospice team, along with the value of maintaining professional ethical standards when addressing spiritual issues. Throughout, the importance of spiritual sensitivity and its effect upon client well-being is emphasized.

“Spirituality frequently becomes more salient as clients approach death. Spiritual needs, for instance, often become more acute. Yet relatively little guidance exists on this critical topic. This important new textaddresses this gap in the literature and equips social work practitioners and other hospice workers to navigate the often difficult process of providing spiritual care in hospice settings. Indeed, anyone involved in end-of-life care will likely benefit from this significant contribution.”

Spirituality frequently becomes more salient as clients approach death. Spiritual needs, for instance, often become more acute. Yet relatively little guidance exists on this critical topic. This important new text addresses this gap in the literature and equips social work practitioners and other hospice workers to navigate the often difficult process of providing spiritual care in hospice settings. Indeed, anyone involved in end-of-life care will likely benefit from this significant contribution. -- David R. Hodge, Arizona State University Callahan's Spirituality in Hospice Social Work is a scholarly yet practical resource for social workers to better recognize and attend to the spiritual needs and distresses of patients suffering from chronic health conditions. This book integrates research and practicality, and provides ways for social workers to facilitate and enhance interprofessional spiritual care while working with spiritual care professionals. The multidimensional systems and relational perspectives of social worker training enhances other clinical team members understanding and implementation of spiritual care, and is a valuable resource not only for social workers, but for other clinicians and students. -- Christina M. Puchalski, Director, George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health Ann Callahan has integrated insights from social work and other helping professions dedicated to compassionate and skillful end-of-life care. Thus she provides an excellent framework for spiritually sensitive assessment and practice that honors the diversity of worldviews, highlights qualities necessary for a caring therapeutic relationship, and supports people's resilience and growth even while dying. This will prepare social workers well for their direct work with clients and for their partnership in palliative care and hospice teams. -- Edward R. Canda, The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare

Ann M. Callahan is professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Social Work. She has a license in clinical social work with more than twenty years of social work related clinical, administrative, and teaching experience. For the past ten years, she has been researching the spiritual dimensions of the therapeutic relationship in an effort to inform quality hospice social work.

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