Developing national guidelines for spiritual care in aged care

Spirituality is that which gives meaning and purpose to life, and spiritual care as supporting and facilitating spirituality. The need for spiritual care in palliative care is widely acknowledged, although there are different
interpretations about what that means. Byrne (2007, p.121) states that spiritual care is about helping people find 'meaning, hope and wholeness in their life and relationships'.  Hunt et al (2003, p.208) highlight that spiritual care is a one of the four components of holistic assessment in palliative care. Kristjanson (2007, p.193) argues that although spiritual care in aged care is essential, it is a neglected aspect of care and poorly understood. There is also considerable evidence that spiritual issues impact on physical well being and pain, reinforcing the need for holistic care (Glover-Graf, Marini, Baker and Buck 2007). This paper reports on the process for development of
spiritual care guidelines for aged care. The paper will provide a brief summary of evidence for the impact of spiritual care on wellbeing and describe the process of development of national guidelines. A series of focus groups, consultations and interviews have identified the priorities for guidelines suitable for palliative care settings.