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Pastoral Care & Bereavement Support

At the Toowoomba Hospice we have a Pastoral Care Team who are qualified and have extensive experience in Pastoral Care in general and Palliative Care in particular.

We acknowledge that your decision to come to Hospice, or to bring your loved one to Hospice for end-of-life care can be a daunting and emotional time. As a family member/friend you may experience a myriad of feelings especially if you have been caring for your loved one at home. Hospice provides a place where we become the carers, and you can hand over your responsibilities to our staff and concentrate on being the family member/friend.

We work with compassion, common sense, empathy, integrity and respect. Our aim is to ensure that our clients and their families and friends feel comfortable and safe. We work as a team with the Nurses who support your medical and nursing needs while Pastoral Carers support your emotional and spiritual needs.

The Pastoral Carers role is:
Spiritually - to explore your agenda. To support and offer resources that support your specific cultural, ecumenical or spiritual beliefs and needs.
Emotionally - to listen to your story, to get to know your family/friends. What and who is important to you. What gives you pleasure.

Throughout your time with us our Pastoral Carers provide visits as required. We strive to build trust with our clients and their families/friends so that after your passing we will keep in regular contact with them. We provide support and ascertain their care needs up to twelve months. During the year we organise specific functions when families/friends are invited to attend a time of reflection, honouring and support.

It is our privilege to offer our support at this significant time.

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Pastoral Care Coordinator:             Louise Buttsworth

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Pastoral Care Services for staff, volunteers, clients and their families:

  • Follow up phone calls initially then at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months 

  • Card and remembrance leaf posted at 12 months

  • Face to face support upon request

  • Mental health first aider training

  • Ongoing or additional referral services 

  • Able to act as funeral celebrants upon request 

  • Facilitating and mentoring of the Hospice's Grief & Loss Support Group (this group runs twice a year for 8 weeks).

Pastoral Care Commitments to the Hospice

  • Attending regular sub-committee meetings throughout the year to remain up to date with latest developments

  • Nurturing and education days

  • Attendance at the Pastoral Care Co-ordinators Forum throughout the year 

  • Staff and volunteer support, training and facilitation

  • Support for each other through an external mentor

  • Attendance at workshops relating to medical, health and ecumenical groups upon request

  • Regular networking with local funeral groups and directors.

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