John 3:16. Proverbs 3:5-6. “Amazing Grace.” “In the Garden.” These are some of the classic Bible verses and hymns that many people turn to. That includes Centrica Care Navigators chaplains — at least when they’re working with patients and families who want to turn to the Bible for their spiritual care.

A chaplain is one member of the IDG, or interdisciplinary group, that each patient is assigned when they first begin end-of-life care at Centrica Care Navigators. While the nurses and hospice aides in the IDG help with the day-to-day basics for a patient like taking the right medication and getting baths, chaplains look at the patient’s spiritual life, in whatever form that takes.

“My visit gives them a chance to get away for a while,” Centrica Care Navigators Chaplain Art says. “They talk about their faith, and any old memories that pop up.”

Chaplains also help patients with activities related to their religious beliefs, such as communion and Bible studies. Art has attended funeral services and been the liaison between patients, caregivers, and the church they call home.

Part of Art’s role as chaplain is to simply make a connection with patients. He introduces himself and asks a few questions, and that’s usually enough to get people talking with him. On his first visit with a patient, he might mention his family and the fact that he is currently in the National Guard as a chaplain and was in the Navy for more than a decade before that.

One of the first things Art says when he initially meets with patients is actually a response to the first thing many say to him. It helps them understand that he’s not trying to convert them to a particular belief or force them to talk about something they don’t want to; he’s just there to listen.

“I say I am a chaplain, and they say they’re not religious. I say, ‘That’s OK, I’m not religious either,’” he said. “Sometimes I come in to pray with them, but sometimes they just want to get something off their chest.”

Making a connection

During a recent visit to a new patient, Art used his familiar line — “That’s OK, I’m not religious either.” Instead, Art talked about his children, which led his patient to show off some family photos of hers.

There was a framed image of a church on the wall; it was a church she had attended while in Ireland. Art and the patient didn’t talk about religion at all, though. Instead, the woman turned off her TV and talked about her children and the people who were stopping in to say hello to her.

At the end of the visit, Art told the patient he would see her again in a few weeks. He thought that by the time he returned, the patient would be more comfortable with him. That’s when people often talk about their beliefs, or ask to pray with the chaplain, or read a Bible verse.

Others talk about serious issues. While Art has shared many positive experiences with patients, some people have talked about abuse or violence in their families. They see the end of life as a time to look back and seek forgiveness from people they have hurt or come to terms with a hurt that was done to them.

“We have an opportunity to lean in,” Art says. “People get to be real. There is a lot of closure. As a chaplain, I can say, ‘It’s OK, I will be there with you.’”

Listening, not preaching

Patients have the ability to decline visits with many IDG members. They might not be interested in music therapy, or say they’re not religious and don’t want a chaplain to visit. That is why Art is clear right away that he’s not making an appointment to tell anyone what to believe or talk about faith at all if a patient doesn’t want to.

Once they have met a chaplain, though, and discover that the visit is about listening, not preaching, patients often change their minds.

“They may not want to talk about things at first, but many eventually make a change,” Art says. “I like to come out and chat and be a listening ear.”

You can learn more about our chaplains and the entire intradisciplinary group that helps your loved one by exploring our website or calling 269.345.0273.