Religious Literacy in Hospice Care

This is the first book to explore how religion, belief and spirituality are negotiated in hospice care. Specifically, it considers the significant place that spiritual care has in hospice care and claims that the changing role of religion and belief in society highlights the need to re-examine how such identities are integrated in professional practice. Using religious literacy as a framework, the author explores how healthcare professionals in hospice care respond to religion, belief and spiritual identities of service users. Part 1 provides a comprehensive account of the content and history of the place of religion, belief and spirituality in hospice care. Part 2 examines how these topics are negotiated in hospice care by looking at three key areas: environment, professional practice and organisation. Part 3 proposes a religious literacy model applicable to hospice care and explores implications for practice and policy. Lastly, the author identifies future trends in research, policy and practice. Drawing on a range of theories and concepts and proposing a working model that can impact the training of future and current professionals, Religious Literary in Hospice Care should be considered essential reading for students, researchers and practitioners.

Panagiotis Pentaris is a Senior Lecturer for the Department of Psychology, Social Work and Counselling at the University of Greenwich. He is also a Postdoc Research Fellow for the Faiths & Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. Panagiotis is a thanatologist, as well as a qualified social worker with specialty in hospice social work and clinical social work in end of life care. His research stretches from death policies to professional practice, and he has researched extensively about religion, belief and spirituality in end of life care.

List of figures List of tables Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Introduction Conversations about death Spiritual care Introducing this book Overview of the chapters References PART I Hospice care and changing religious landscape 1 Religion, belief and spirituality in hospice care Introduction Hospice movement Spirituality and hospice care The spiritual dimension of modern hospice care In summary References 2 Religion and belief: A changing landscape Introduction Migration Religious plurality and diversification Religious decline, secularisation and desecularisation Secularisation and professional practise Implications of religious plurality References 3 Tracing religion in health and death policy Introduction What policy says about religion and belief in dying Religion and belief in healthcare: A new design Concluding thoughts References PART II Negotiating belief in hospice care 4 Belief in the space Introduction Religion and materiality Religion and belief in the space Concluding thoughts References 5 Hospice professionals and religion Introduction Separating religion from spirituality The role of religion in society Religion, belief, spirituality and dying The role of religion, belief and spirituality for service users References 6 Hospice professionals and religious literacy Introduction Knowledge and understanding of religion and belief Skills and abilities to engage with religion and belief References 7 Integrating religion and belief in hospice care Introduction Death and health policies Assessments Neutral spaces Religious networking Commemorative practises Concluding thoughts References PART III Religious literacy in hospice care 8 Religious literacy in hospice care Introduction Religious literacy in hospice care Religious literacy model for hospice care Concluding note References Conclusions Implications for social policy Implications for professional practise Final thoughts References Index