“To a better place”: The role of religious belief for staff in residential aged care in coping with resident deaths

Abstract

IntroductionStaff in residential aged care (RAC) face increasing exposure to death and dying provoking coping-related responses. This study reports on research exploring the role of religious/spiritual belief in staff coping with death and dying in RAC homes. MethodUtilising a mixed methods, concurrent triangulation design, data from interviews and questionnaires with 113 RAC staff were analysed to explore the relationship between staff members’ religious/spiritual beliefs and coping with resident deaths within the context of 50 RAC facilities. ResultsParticipants appeared to have distinctly different experiences of the role of religious/spiritual beliefs in their attitudes toward death and dying – as reflected linguistically in how they described it. Strong religious/spiritual influence and religious affiliation were associated with lower scores for burnout. Level of religious/spiritual influence does make a difference in the strategies employed by staff in coping with death and dying. ConclusionGiven the potential benefits associated with religious/spiritual beliefs, RAC facility management would be well advised to foster a workplace culture that supports and encourages spiritual/religious expression among facility staff. Greater understanding of the role of religious/spiritual beliefs in helping staff to make sense of the end-of-life experience can provide the basis for the development of staff supports enabling both improved staff well-being and resident end-of-life care.