The Hidden Value of Chaplains at End of Life

Chaplain Wes Moldogo is an advocate for integrating spiritual care into the care of patients, service members, and their families. As a chaplain for the military as well as hospital and hospice patients, Wes educates about the value chaplains bring to the care of people with life-limiting illness. 1 in 4 Medicare hospice patients is a US military veteran. That’s 25% of the patients who utilize the Medicare benefit to pay for their hospice care. Wes learned early how powerful listening can be, and how listening can be used to support people dealing with illness as well as their caregivers.   Wes educates about the differences between pastoral ministry and spiritual counseling (chaplaincy). So many misconceptions surround the work of a chaplain, even inside the hospice industry itself. Grief support, spiritual counseling, and bereavement support are all part of what a chaplain does. Chaplains support the personal faith beliefs and spirituality of the patient and the caregiver, even if those beliefs are different from what the chaplain believes. Chaplains are able to support any faith or spiritual belief systems. Adequate education is vital to ensuring that chaplains are providing care that focuses on the patient’s beliefs, and not the chaplain’s beliefs. Board certification and Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) are critical to the success of a chaplain. If you’re interested in education in Chaplaincy, visit the Spiritual Care Association website or the Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc.   Visit internationaldoulalifemovement.com to learn more about doulas, or connect with others who are doing death doula work.   Register for IDLM’s FREE 2024 Birthday Bash Jan. 8 - 12, 2024 here.  If you’re interested in becoming a certified death doula through IDLM, click here. Access all the courses that IDLM provides here. See all the events that IDLM is offering by clicking here.  Get your set of Death Deck cards here! Use the code HOSPICE20 for 20% off your order! Purchase the End of Life Deck for use with people with serious or terminal illness here.  Find The Death Deck on social media:  Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to [email protected].  Follow The Heart of Hospice on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiving podcasts by clicking here.