The spirituality and the spiritual assistant in the palliative care

Polazeći od pojma duhovnosti u palijativnoj skrbi u ovom se članku na osnovu filozofsko-antropoloških spoznaja monističkog dualizma kao i osnovnih postavki triju velikih svjetskih religija o čovjekovu življenju i njegovoj usmjerenosti na Boga, želi osvijetliti značenje duhovnosti kao i ulogu duhovnika u palijativnoj skrbi. Duhovnost je važna sastavnica cjelokupne brige za dostojanstvo čovjekova življenja u najtežim situacijama bolesti ili starosti. Povećani interes za duhovnošću uopće, a napose u medicini, potvrđuje još jednom važnost holističkog pristupa čovjeku u palijativnoj skrbi. Monistički dualizam naglašava međusobno prožimanje duha, duše i tijela u čovjekovu življenju. Iz ovog proizlazi da duhovna dimenzija ima vrlo važnu ulogu. Tri najveće religije svijeta na njima svojstven način govore o smislu čovjekova života i smrti te o duhovnim vrijednostima, koje nadilaze čovjekov ovozemaljski život. U palijativnoj skrbi je bitna prisutnost duhovnika, koji će pokušati pomoći čovjeku u iznimno teškim situacijama za njega i njegovu obitelj, da im bude blizu, sluša ih, razumije i pokuša im otkriti istinske neprolazne vrijednosti. Duhovnik se sa svojim kompetencijama znanja i iskustva stavlja na raspolaganje ne samo čovjeku u palijativnoj skrbi nego i njegovoj rodbini kao i osoblju u palijativnom timu.Beginning with the term of spirituality in the palliative care, this article, based on the philosophical – anthropological awareness of monistic dualism, as well as on the basic foundations of three major world religions on human living and his direction to God, wishes to enlighten the importance of the spirituality, as well as of the spiritual assistant in the palliative care. The spirituality represents one important part of the total care of dignity of human life in one of the hardest situations when illness or old age comes. The increased interest for spirituality in general, especially in medicine, once again confirms the importance of the holistic approach to humans in the palliative care. The monistic dualism is emphasising the interaction between the spirit, soul and body in human living. This shows that the spiritual dimension has very important role. Three major world religions, each in its own particular way, confirm this interaction of the spirit, soul and body when it comes to human life and death, as well as to the spiritual values that are beyond human earthly life. The presence of the spiritual assistant is important in the palliative care; who will try to help one person facing extremely difficult situation for him and for his family, who will try to be close to them, listen to them, understand them and try to help them discover genuine, eternal values. That is how the spiritual assistant with his competency and experience, becomes available not only to the person in the palliative care, but to his relatives and stuff employed in the palliative care team