Spiritual Care

Lakeridge Health supports holistic, person-centered care and understands the importance of focusing on the mind, body, and spirit for healing.

Our Spiritual Health Practitioners are multi-faith, registered professionals who are part of the interprofessional team. They are available to patients, clients, residents, Essential Partners-in-care, as well as Lakeridge Health staff, physicians, and volunteers.

Confidential services and counselling to help individuals find meaning, connection, hope, and strength within their health-care journey is offered to anyone of any faith, as well as those of no particular faith. The team can provide spiritual and emotional support while respecting your beliefs. Connections can also be made to a religious/faith leader from the community for your specific needs.

What we do:

  • Offer spiritual and emotional support during a hospitalization through individual assessment and counselling services.
  • Provide support for managing change, illness, grief, and loss.
  • Facilitate patient/peer support groups.
  • Listen to concerns and help guide questions for the health-care teams.
  • Help access specific faith resources (sacred texts, rosaries, etc.) and connect you to community faith leaders, as requested.
  • Provide Roman Catholic access for communion and Sacrament of the Sick (as community Priests are available).
  • Facilitate a variety of services, including mindfulness, emergency baptisms, blessings, Indigenous activities (including Indigenous Smudging ceremonies), and end-of-life rituals.
  • Provide opportunities for prayer, meditation, and reflection.
  • Engage with our hospital community to help create meaningful policies, practices, and guidelines to meet the needs of our diverse community.
  • Help health-care providers to cope with the intensity of their professions, duties, and life challenges.
  • Offer Clinical Psychospiritual Education in association with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care.

Sacred Spaces for prayer and reflection are also available at the following locations:

  • Ajax Pickering Hospital - 1st floor.
  • Bowmanville Hospital – 1st floor, north wing.
  • Oshawa Hospital – 2nd floor, A wing.

For more information, speak to a member of your health-care team or email us at spiritualcare@lh.ca.