Spiritual experiences of a seriously ill elderly: a case report

Abstract

Objective: To report spiritual experiences of an elderly woman admitted to a palliative care ward. Method: Information was structured from review of medical charts, interview with the patient and her caregiver, and literature review. Conclusion: The reported case highlights the importance of having a greater discussion on the attention to spiritual aspects of patients at end of life. In this case, due to the fact of presenting herself in a controlled manner, positive and with actual insight, one should understand the exposed as a spiritual experience, free of psychopathology. Therefore, one should observe the need for future surveys aimed at enhancing the spiritual approach with the purpose of training professionals for its practice.