“You Certainly Don’t Have to Be Religious to Have an Encounter with Pastoral Care”

I’ve been here for about five years now.

The role of Pastoral Care is very diverse, and you’re with people in very vulnerable moments. Some people might be religious, so we would have a connection with maybe putting them in contact with their local clergy or their local minister. But really, it’s just about whatever is important to the person.

People sometimes ask me, “What is Pastoral Care? I don’t need Pastoral Care.”

You just start talking about something in general, and then as they meet you a few times, there might be a little connection. They might say their grandchildren are very important to them, and then they start talking about other things that matter to them.

For some people, what is important could be nature. For others, once they get to know you and they trust you, they’ll just open up about their lives. Things can get very deep, and they find that a huge support.

For some people, that might eventually be faith. People might reconnect with their faith or with their local community. So the variety is huge, but you certainly do not have to be religious to have an encounter with Pastoral Care.

A journey of trust and connection

I think in Pastoral Care we’re journeying with them, almost in a friendship role, but also giving them a space where they can talk very deeply about their life and their struggles.

It’s actually a lot deeper than people realise. It’s part of a journey of discovery, and I think that’s why it’s so hard to explain Pastoral Care, because we don’t come in with something specific.

And sometimes people do not want it, and that’s fine as well. That’s all okay.

Being a presence

For me, it’s very much about just being a presence for people.

When people are in a room, it can be a lonely space as well. If you can just give that space to people, they will talk. They can explore those things about life that can help them come to terms with what they’re going through.

They can actually move from a place of turmoil to a place of inner peace, and I think we’re just an active listener in the midst of that.

Hospice is not always what people expect

When people think of coming into hospice, nearly every patient I meet has a fear of coming in. They think it’s end of life.

When they’re here, they learn so much about getting on top of their symptoms. Even though life might be short, they can really live through that. They can learn to enjoy life and live life very much. It’s not the end.

There’s a huge value in having all the different elements of the team coming in. And there’s a lot of humour as well.

Through art, through aromatherapy, through meeting all of the team and making special moments, people can still do things that are important to them. They might get to the beach. They might get home.

Supporting the whole family

Pastoral Care is definitely about both patients and families.

When you do a community visit, you might talk to the patient, but you’re very much a support to the family as well. The family might explain their own struggles and what they’re going through.

So really, you get to know the whole family.

We meet families again through the Remembrance Services and we also do bereavement calls, so there’s a follow-up. The families are never abandoned as such; the journey continues.

I’ve made huge connections with families that are very deep and personal, and again it has been very much a privilege to be with families at those very vulnerable moments.

What I’ll take away from Galway Hospice

Personally, the people I’ve met here have enriched me. I’ve been so privileged.

When you see the work that people do there, it really leaves a mark on you. Coming from the spiritual side of things, that has left a very deep mark on me that I’ll be grateful for, and I think it will benefit me for all of my life.

From the Community Nurses to the cleaners, the staff in the canteen and people in all different roles, it’s the whole environment.

My message to staff would be: never underestimate the amount of good work you do, the privileged work you do and the way you touch people.

It is a very privileged place to work.

– Peter Joyce, Pastoral Care