In the Spotlight: Spiritual Care Services
As religious, spiritual or emotional needs arise among patients, families and associates—regardless of religious affiliation or denomination—the Spiritual Care Services teams at Elkhart General and Memorial Hospital have the skills and resources to care for them.
“’Typical’ days are unusual for a chaplain, and that’s part of what makes the work rewarding—it’s very diverse,” explains Barbara Wilson, M.A., M.Div., BCC, Coordinator of Spiritual Care Services at Memorial Hospital.
This rewarding profession allows chaplains to be present for patients and family members during life’s biggest moments—birth, surgery and death.
“We experience the joy of ministering to a wide variety of people, supporting them in critical moments in their lives,” shares Terri Geiser, L.I.S.W., M.Div., Coordinator of Spiritual Care Services at Elkhart General.
All Beacon chaplains are professionally and interfaith trained, offering counseling to individuals upon request or through referrals. They serve as integral members of the hospital care team, responding to codes and rounding on units during multidisciplinary staff meetings. The chaplains also pray with and for individuals, connect patients with leaders of their own faith within the community and lead worship, among other responsibilities.
Though Beacon chaplains have varied backgrounds, they all share key skills, including a keen ability to listen—both to what’s being said as well as body language. They also can be counted on for having compassion, flexibility, sensitivity and the gift of staying calm. All chaplains are available to Beacon associates for talking confidentially about any personal or work-related stresses or concerns.
“Health care is wonderful and challenging,” says Terri. “When we have traumatic cases in the Emergency Department or anywhere in the hospital, for example, it’s not just the patients’ families who are affected—our staff is affected, too. We reach out to associates to let them know we’re here for them.”
Elkhart General Hospital Spiritual Care Services L-R: Dorcas McCown, M.A.; Lee Pfahler, M.Div.; Terri Geiser, L.I.S.W., M.Div.; Dean Heisey, M.Div.; Dawn Yoder Harms, M.Div. Not pictured: Sunday Adelakin, D.Min.
Memorial Hospital Spiritual Care Services Seated, L-R: Teunisje “Tina” Velthuizen, M.Div., BCC; Keren Graves, M.A.; Barbara Wilson, M.A., M.Div., BCC; Timothy O’Connor, M.Div., C.S.C. Standing, L-R: Roberto Carbonell, M.A.; David Schwabauer, M.Div.; Daniel Bilbrey, M.A.; Titus R. Matemavi, M.Div., BCC; Sarah N. Samson, M.Div., BCC
