2. A New Era in Spirituality
Western Identity
• Cult of individualism
• Corporate profitability
• Unmanageable
political systems
• Decline in religiosity
The Spiritual Revolution
• Integration –
body, mind, spirit
• Psychological health
• Ecological integrity
• Sense of community
4. Today’s reality
Between 1985 and
2004, Canadians
aged 15 and older
reporting no
religious affiliation
increased by seven
percentage points
from 12% to
19%.General Social
Survey (GSS) and the 2002
Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS).
6. USA and Europe
A new survey in the
U.S. shows that the
number of 18-25
year olds who are
atheist, agnostic or
nonreligious has
increased from 11
percent in 1986 to
20 percent today .
Religious belief
continues to
plummet in Europe,
with Italy being the
only country with a
majority believing
in any form of God
or supreme being.(By
MATT CHERRY, HumanistNetworkNews.org
Jan. 24, 2007)
7. The United Church of Canada
2010 Observer Survey…
• More than 1/3 say congregations are not
financially healthy
• 46% say their church is shrinking
• More than ½ do not expect to last 15
years
• 24% give their congregations a 5 year
life
8. “Fraser Health
president Nigel Murray
announced the cuts in
a November 5th report,
saying this “non-core
service” (Spiritual
Care) would be
provided by “social
workers and volunteers
from faith
communities”.
Spiritual Care has been
devalued”… faith has
been
marginalized”….the
Fraser Health decision is
short sighted because it
does not recognize the
many contributions that
faith groups have made
to health care”. Hans
Kowenburg, Abbotsford Spiritual Care Advisory
Council Chair.
Spiritual Care
BC Christian News December 2009, Vol29 #12
9. Changing Times
David Tacey
“The widespread demise of
religion throughout the educated
countries of the world has brought
with it a great impoverishment
and aridity to the human soul…” pg.22
“The yearning for sacredness,
spiritual meaning, security and
personal engagement with the
spirit are primary needs and
longings of the contemporary
world.” pg 20, The Spirituality Revolution, 2004
10. We are not human beings
having a spiritual experience,
but spiritual beings
having a human experience.
Teilhard de Chardin
What We Believe…
13. A New Model of Spiritual Care
The Question…
how to create
within UHN a
Spiritual Care
Department that
is integrated and
meaningful?
14. 1. Based on Spirituality
What does
spirituality
mean to you?
15. Spirituality defined…
…an awareness
of relationships
with all creation,
an appreciation
of presence and
purpose that
includes a sense
of meaning. (Fitchett
& Handzo, 1998).
18. 3. Reinforce Spirituality at Work
Inter Professional Education
Six – 3.5 hour
sessions focusing on
Spirituality
for
all staff
19. 4. Providing effective clinical work
Spiritual Care Staff are assigned to specific clinical units
Participate fully in interdisciplinary team (i.e. attend
rounds, present at inter professional collaboration
opportunities, crisis debriefing)
Involved in inter professional education
20. 5. Elective in Spirituality for
Medical Students
Second Year Medical
Students
Shadowing of spiritual
care professionals across
UHN
21. 6. Relationship with Religious
Community Leaders
The Downtown Toronto Healthcare
Spiritual and Religious Forum serves
as a link between the complementary
roles of the downtown healthcare
institutions and the local faith
communities to assist in providing for the
spiritual and religious needs for patients
and their families.
23. 8. Providing Spiritual Care to Staff
Our assumption:
that staff see us
working from a faith-
based model of care.
Therefore…
we must change their
perception….
HOW?
