News & Events

Spiritual Health Awareness Week (SHAW) - October 20 to October 26

October 21, 2024 - Spiritual Health Awareness Week (SHAW) is an annual event raising awareness of Spiritual Care Coordinators’ vital contributions to holistic health. This year’s SHAW occurs during the week of October 20 – October 26.  The SHAW 2024 theme is Breaking the Myths, which focuses on clarifying, demystifying and educating CapitalCare’s communities about the spiritual care profession by breaking myths surrounding spiritual care.

Spiritual care services contribute to healthy and sustainable living by creating spaces where people can be their full selves and feel like they belong. Residents at CapitalCare have access to spiritual care services that serve their unique needs.

“Human spirituality is diverse, so at CapitalCare, spiritual care means providing emotional, spiritual, and/or religious support that meets each residents’ unique needs,” says Nancy Cullen, a Spiritual Care Coordinator at CapitalCare Lynnwood. She believes connecting with the body, engaging the mind, embracing emotions, and supporting the spirit helps everyone find meaning and purpose in our lives.

CapitalCare’s Spiritual Care Coordinators celebrate diversity and support all religious and spiritual groups, ranging from the deeply religious to the non-religious. Spiritual Care Coordinators do their best to connect with residents, clients, families, and staff to inform them of the spiritual care services that are offered at their site and invite them to embark on journeys of discovery together. People of all ages benefit from the healing impact of spiritual care.

“A significant part of the Spiritual Care Coordinator’s role is to listen to what residents and family members need and collaborate with them in responding to those identified needs as a part of their care,” says Cullen.

“For example, an Indigenous resident requested regular smudging, as this was her cultural and religious practice before moving to Lynnwood. I worked with other interdisciplinary staff, the management team, maintenance, and consulted with people of Indigenous backgrounds to set up a weekly smudging ceremony. Other residents have now joined, as well as several staff and volunteers.”

Volunteers are also a vital member of CapitalCare’s spiritual care network and have offered support for over 30 years. “Volunteers come with open hearts ready to serve our residents. Most faith groups that host services bring a team of volunteers who build relationships and create safe places for connecting and sharing life experiences,” says Trisha Hope, the Spiritual Care Coordinator at CapitalCare Grandview.

Spiritual care services contribute to challenges 1 and 2 in the 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan. By creating spaces where people can be their full, authentic selves and feel like they belong, CapitalCare creates a healthy space where residents and families can thrive. Nurturing spiritual health enhances person-centred care by caring for the mind, body and spirit. Residents, clients, family and staff are all encouraged to take advantage of CapitalCare’s Spiritual Care Practitioners. Talk with your neighbourhood’s staff team to request spiritual care services if a need arises.