'To Bless All Mankind' September 18, 2017 ISSUE

Love and compassion in caring for health needs

Susan Tish

Originally published in The Christian Science Monitor, June 6, 2017.

There was an article in my local newspaper a few years ago announcing the opening of a new hospital in the neighboring town. To meet patients’ growing demand for more holistic care, the hospital would provide care that treated the whole patient—striving to meet both spiritual and physical needs.

Intrigued, I decided to go talk with the director of the spiritual care department and learn more about it. He shared with me his view of the most helpful approach with patients—not just focusing on their physical condition, but listening compassionately, working to understand underlying challenges such as grief, stress, or depression. We talked about the importance of bringing a spirit of love and compassion into the patient’s room.

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