Geriatric Spiritual Care Certificate Program

Spiritual Care is particularly crucial for the frail elderly. The issues that focus on life and death, meaning and purpose, loneliness and loss are often magnified when the individual is placed in a long-term care facility. The Geriatric Spiritual Care Certificate Program will prepare participants to enter this field of elder care and serve the specific spiritual needs of elders.

The program consists of four modules based on team approach. Each module is 15 hours in duration. In addition, there is a required 5 hour elective. Lastly students will complete the mandatory 55 hours of clinical experience at an approved site. The program is a total of 120 hours.

Module 1: Dynamics of Spiritual Care
• To develop the technique of life review as a source for rendering geriatric
spiritual care
• To recognize the individuality of spirituality
• To acquire an understanding of prayer, ritual, and sacraments
in the life of the elderly

Module 2: Theology of Suffering
• To identify Old and New Testament verses as a means of better understanding a theology of suffering
• To emphasize the Spiritual Value of the Paschal Mystery
• To come to terms with the reality of death and the dying process
• To comprehend the dynamics of grief and the appropriate responses

Module 3: Moral Ethics
• To enhance the participants’ understanding of the theories
and principles of ethics as a source for a decision-making process
• To broaden an understanding of the major religions of the world
and the influences that they have had in creating values within society
• To establish a methodology for discovering right and wrong
• To utilize case studies as a source of understanding the decision making process

Module 4: Active Listening
• To better understand the technique and the significance
of active listening in the interactive process with the elderly
• To become more comfortable in dealing with silence
• To recognize behavior as manifested by people with dementia
• To better understand the distinction between symptom and problem
• To understand the dynamics with family and staff

The 2009 dates will soon be announced.

For an application for the Geriatric Spiritual Care Certificate
please contact us.