Care for the spiritual dimension provided by caregivers in a nursing home

Abstract

Objectives: to understand care for the spiritual dimension provided by caregivers in a Nursing Home. Methods: this is a qualitative research, carried out in a geriatric center of a philanthropic hospital in the city of Salvador, Bahia. Eighteen formal caregivers participated, through a semi-structured interview, between January and February 2019. The data were analyzed in the light of Jean Watson’s Theory of Transpersonal Caring. Results: formal caregivers discuss the spiritual dimension based on older adults’ religious beliefs, encourage religious practices and exercise spiritual care according to older adults’ physical, emotional and spiritual demands. Final Considerations: formal caregivers understand that older adults’ religious or spiritual experiences should be included in their work routine. Care for the spiritual dimension occurs by stimulating faith in God, encouraging religious practices and embracing their beliefs in the face of physical, emotional and spiritual demands.

Correlação entre religiosidade/espiritualidade e sobrecarga do cuidador informal

“…Resultado que difere do estudo de Silva et al (2018), onde este mostra evidências que associa a espiritualidade como sendo um elemento de suporte no processo de assistência à saúde. Os autores evidenciam a espiritualidade como algo motivador, que oferece condição física e emocional no enfrentamento das demandas do dia a dia, além de ajudar na relação interpessoal com o doente (Silva et al, 2018;Santos et al, 2022).…”

Faith Community Nursing

“…Nevertheless, the older population (65 years or older) has grown five times faster than the total U.S. population (Caplan, 2023). Despite the decrease in membership and identification with a religious group, the literature supports positive healthcare outcomes when spirituality is incorporated while providing physical care (Blankinship et al, 2021; Canada et al, 2020; Newport, 2022; Santos et al, 2021). Pew Research Center (2024) and Newport (2022) reported that 50% of the U.S. church population is between the ages of 30 and 65, with a strong correlation between positive health and care outcomes when incorporating a person's spirituality.…”