This DVD, jointly produced by FiOP,
Alzheimer’s Scotland and Artlink, was previewed at the recent Scottish Caring
Conference and formally launched at the FiOP Conference on the ‘Spiritual
Journey and well-being in old age’ in Dumfries in May.
The aim of the DVD is to assist those who
care for older people to understand better their spiritual needs and to find
ways of enabling them to be fulfilled.
Spiritual care is not easily understood.
The work undertaken by Alzheimer’s Scotland in the Beyond Barriers’
project and the Palliative Care Initiative together with the work undertaken by
FiOP in ‘Delivering Spiritual Care’ has highlighted the reservations and
discomfort of staff in discussing the issue with residents and relatives.
We hope that the DVD will help to
de-mystify the issue and give clues to considering this important aspect of our
lives. Spiritual care is made up of many
factors and we have looked at the issue in terms of ‘what gives meaning to
people’s lives’.
The conversations in the DVD open up these
issues for staff and residents and there are case studies and questions for
discussion. We do not attempt to provide
answers but to ensure that the issue is given the importance it deserves and
that people become more confident in exploring issues which contribute to a
holistic approach to care.
The DVD has been widely circulated to all
care homes in Scotland and its use will be evaluated over the coming months. A workshop on the DVD has been included in
the forthcoming Dementia Services Development Conference in London in October
2010.
If you would like FiOP to facilitate a
discussion or training session based on the DVD or to obtain copies of the DVD
please contact info@fiop.org.uk
