Award in Spiritual Dimension in Elderly Care for General Staff
The Pastoral Formation Institute is licensed by MFHEA (Licence #: 2013-FHI-023) as a Further and Higher Educational Institute. The Award in Spiritual Dimension for General Staff is accredited at EQF/MQF Level 3, as Further Education Programme.
Spirituality is an important aspect of holistic care that is frequently overlooked. This is because of difficulties in conceptualizing spirituality and confusion about how it should be integrated in the care of the elderly. The program seeks to explore what is meant by spirituality and spiritual competent practice. It examines attitudes to spirituality, provides an exploration of the assessment of patients’ spiritual care needs, describes factors that might affect the integration of spirituality into nursing care and offers practical guidance to equip healthcare workers to incorporate spirituality into their practice.
General Staff like domestic staff, chefs, receptionists, maintenance persons and drivers in elderly homes.
This course consists of 10 sessions.
Session 1: Defining Spirituality and Spiritual Care in Healthcare – Competencies in Spiritual Care
Spirituality and spiritual care in health relate to how patients and health professionals seek and express meaning, purpose, connection, value, or transcendence in the context of illness and well-being. A growing body of evidence indicates that spirituality is linked to better health outcomes, patient satisfaction, medical decision-making, and quality of life.
This session will introduce various definitions of spirituality and spiritual care, along with the multidimensional nature of the spiritual field.
Session 2: Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Spirituality
Intraperonal Spirituality deals with personal spirituality as to provide spiritual care the healthcare worker must be spiritual him/herself. The student is made aware of the importance of self-reflection and self-awareness to better himself as a person and as a provider of spiritual care. Interpersonal spirituality deals with building a relationship with people through effective communication skills. It refers to a person’s spirituality that acknowledges their unique spiritual and cultural world views evoking feelings of companionship and compassionate care.
Session 3: Spiritual Assessment and Evaluation of Care
In this session, learners are introduced to formal and informal approaches for assessing patients’ spiritual needs, planning appropriate interventions based on available resources, and evaluating whether these needs have been met.
Session 4: Loss, Grief, and Compassion in the Elderly
Learners will explore the inevitable experiences of grief and loss, as well as feelings of isolation in the elderly. Gaining an understanding of the grief process, as described by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, will help healthcare workers prevent spiritual distress and provide compassionate care for older adults.
Session 5: Spiritual Care in Elderly Rehabilitation of the Elderly Care
This session will explore the specific spiritual needs of elderly individuals in rehabilitation. It will focus on how healthcare workers can create opportunities for them to engage in creative activities and better confront their feelings of suffering and solitude.
Session 6: Spiritual Care and Mental Health
This session will introduce learners to the various mental health issues that elderly individuals may face and equip healthcare workers with the skills needed to manage and care for them effectively.
Session 7: Spiritual Care in Dementia
This session will introduce learners to dementia in the elderly, providing guidance on managing their care and equipping family members with essential skills to better understand and support their loved ones.
Session 8: The Role of Religion in Spiritual Care for the Elderly
This session will focus on the role of religiosity as an integral aspect of spiritual care.
Session 9: The Sacraments in Different Religions and Spirituality
Learners will explore religious practices across various denominations within society.
Session 10: Case Scenarios in the Spiritual Dimension of Elderly Care
This session will present various case scenarios to assess and evaluate learners’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired throughout the programme, enabling them to apply these effectively when caring for the elderly.
Accreditation Category: Further Education Programme
Total ECTS: 4 ECTS
Award Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute
The Pastoral Formation Institute is licensed by MFHEA (Licence #: 2013-FHI-023) as a Further and Higher Educational Institute. The Award in Spiritual Dimension for General Staff is accredited at EQF/MQF Level 3, as Further Education Programme.
Qualifications: Applicants must possess a minimum of an MQF/EQF Level 3 or higher qualification. Kindly submit a copy of your highest qualification in the application form below.
Language: Applicants must have a basic understanding of Maltese and be proficient in English.
Digital: Applicants must be proficient in accessing and using the internet and office software suites.
For courses offered in face-to-face learning and blended learning, applicants must reside in the Maltese Islands and provide their Maltese address in their application form.
