Art of Caring for the Sick: Guidelines for Creative Ministry

This book seeks to be a guide and a companion for those who are involved in the health care ministry. As such, it is intended to offer perspectives or windows through which the individual can have a better understanding of the complex world of health, suffering, dying and death. It embraces three different perspectives: prevention, care and rehabilitation. “Prevention has to do with promoting healthy lifestyles. *Care is rooted in the development of human and professional skills for attending those who are experiencing sickness or fragility at several levels in their lives: physical, mental, spiritual and social. *Rehabilitation includes a diligent follow-up to the needs of the patient and the family. This is especially true when the therapies are long and coping with an illness imposes a lot of demands. Follow-up can be handled at home, in a hospital or at any nurturing setting and employs an interdisciplinary team of health-care and mental health-care workers to assure continuity of care. The introductory chapters place health-care ministry within the biblical, theological and historical framework of the Church’s mission. Special attention is given to the leaders as the prime agents of all that follows. They need to prepare themselves in order to be better equipped to involve, educate and supervise other collaborators (religious, catechists, volunteers, etc.) who visit and comfort the sick on behalf of the Christian community. The book combines theory with praxis by proposing a number of exercises, the analysis of pastoral dialogues, and the use of case studies.