Broward Health Medical Center’s Chaplaincy Services includes a full time Chaplain and a support from a community of different faith denominations from the Fort Lauderdale area. We are so blessed to have community support and have leaned on them to assist with Anointing of the Sick, Baptism and Communion for our patients. We are also able to offer an Orthodox Mass in our hospital chapel on Sunday mornings.
During COVID-19, it has been wonderful to see our community partners and our staff rally around one another to provide spiritual support wherever and whenever it is needed. We have worked together as a village to meet the needs of our patients during these unprecedented times. The spiritual support that is offered is not only for our patients, but also for their families.
Understandably, we have noticed an increase in loneliness and fear in our patients. Spiritual support for these patients often looks like reflective listening, presence, non-judgmental spiritual comfort and sometimes prayer. Patients’ families sometimes don’t feel comfortable coming into the hospital or they live far away, so we provide spiritual support by phone and coordinate connecting them with their loved one via Facetime.
For the families who can come to the hospital, we have noticed an increase in the use of our chapel, which offers a safe and quiet space to be still, allowing for times of reflection and the presence of peace. For our pediatric families we are offering a new service called “A Cup of Comfort” to offer a space and time for conversations and coffee.
The unspoken hero in times of COVID-19 are our caregivers. For Spiritual Care Week, which occurred at the end of October, we created the Wheels of Hope Cart for our employees. On this cart we had an assortment of inspirational and spiritual items, including inspirational stones, angels, butterflies, “shine your lights,” motivational cards and hugs and kisses chocolates, from which the staff could choose.
The work here at Broward Health Medical Center and Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital is from the heart. Our hands help us care for those we serve, so we also offered a ritual, Blessing of the Hands, for both our day and night staff. Caregivers such as RNs, physicians, PCAs, techs, EVS and members of administration were so happy to receive this blessing. Many commented that the blessing provided a support that they hadn’t even realized they needed. It served as a reminder for us to serve with compassion and kindness.
Bereavement support provided for families in times of COVID-19 was especially important during a time when loved ones are unable to be present with our patients. We have noticed that there can be a delay in the grief process because families and friends are not able to see their loved ones in person, making the reality of the death harder to comprehend. We are here to walk with them during this most difficult time by making ourselves available.
Overall, we continue to push forward with hope as we provide spiritual care full of love and comfort for all who are a part of Broward Health Medical Center and the Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital.
