While thinking about end-of-life experiences for yourself or someone you love can be challenging, considering your wishes in advance offers several benefits. Having an end-of-life plan enables your voice to be heard if you become seriously ill, and research shows it can help you avoid unwanted treatments and hospitalizations.
As a Christian, your faith may impact the process of planning for end-of-life care. This article explores how faith may shape your wishes and explains how to communicate your decisions with caregivers.
Thinking about end-of-life treatment choices is worthwhile at any age, whether or not you've been diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Considering which medical interventions you want (and don't want) to receive, discussing your choices with your loved ones and putting your wishes in writing helps doctors respect your preferences if you lose the capacity to make health care decisions. Many seniors choose to formalize their wishes by making an advance directive, and faith can often impact how we think about these important decisions.
If you're living with a serious or terminal illness, your faith may influence the types of treatments you wish to receive and for how long. As a Christian, belief in the sanctity of life can impact your decisions when weighing whether to pursue treatments to extend life against options that can improve comfort.
For example, research shows that people with strong religious faith are more likely to want more intensive medical treatment toward the end of life. A 2012 study discovered that respondents with deeply held religious convictions expressed a preference for interventions such as intubation and ICU admission more often than people more loosely affiliated with a religion.
On the other hand, there's no broad Christian consensus on end-of-life medical decisions because Christianity encompasses so many denominations, each with its own perspectives. Even within specific faith traditions, community members may not agree on certain issues. However, many believers accept comfort care treatments that may slightly shorten life as an unintended side effect.
The way your beliefs influence your medical decisions is deeply personal and depends on your unique interpretation of scripture and relationship with God, so arriving at a comfortable choice can be challenging. Many Christians find discussing these issues with church leaders, family and friends and considering their perspectives helpful. Whatever you decide, an advance directive supports health care providers in respecting your choices.
Spiritual care is a well-established component of good palliative care practices, and your Christian faith will likely influence the types of spiritual services that meet your needs. Therefore, it's worth considering spiritual well-being when planning for your end-of-life care.
Receiving person-centered spiritual care at the end of life provides several benefits. First, spiritual care can help prevent a condition called spiritual distress, which describes a state of having unanswered questions or needs or a feeling of lacking purpose. The condition may make end-of-life experiences more distressing. Furthermore, some studies show that people whose religious and spiritual needs are met may experience better clinical outcomes.
What good spiritual care means to you is highly individual, and new needs may arise as your medical condition changes. Many Christians wish to spend time discussing religious and spiritual matters with a member of the clergy. While most hospitals and hospices offer chaplaincy services, you may prefer a pastor from your own church to visit you. Having time to share prayers with loved ones, listen to your favorite religious music and attend church services may also be comforting and helpful.
Documenting your preferences for end-of-life spiritual care and discussing them in advance with your loved ones can help those around you provide spiritual support. Working with a multidisciplinary end-of-life team that includes a spiritual caregiver, such as a chaplain, can also help your health care providers prioritize spiritual support within your care plan.
Faith-based rituals at the end of life vary significantly between different Christian traditions. Members of the Catholic Church, for example, often wish to receive the last rites toward the end of life, while other traditions may have no formal rituals.
If particular religious practices are important to you, it's a good idea to let your doctors and loved ones know. For example, you may want a member of your health care team or someone in your family to arrange a visit from a clergy member to perform certain rites if your condition deteriorates. Providing clear instructions can make it easier for your caregivers to meet your needs.
You may also wish to express wishes about issues that may arise after you pass away. For example, many Christians elect to donate their organs because they see it as a charitable act. Like all end-of-life decisions, these choices are personal. However, stating your wishes in advance helps others follow your preferences and can relieve your loved ones of making decisions on your behalf. If you have an advance directive, you can add instructions on what you wish to happen to your body after you pass away.
