Chapel remodel highlights role of Banner Boswell’s Spiritual Care providers
SUN CITY, Ariz. (March 11, 2011) – After several months of remodeling, Banner Boswell Medical Center's Meditation Chapel has reopened inside the hospital's main entrance to more fully reflect the diversity of the spiritual culture of patients, visitors and staff. The renovation included an updated color scheme, the addition of a water feature, an original triptych painting representing the ten major world religions, and the replacement of pews with individual chairs to create an atmosphere for individual meditation and reflection. The chapel also features a library of more than 40 pamphlets on various supportive topics and a special ‘faith box’ where handwritten requests for prayers can be placed for daily prayer by the chaplain. The chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The chapel renovation comes on the heels of expanding the community’s role in providing spiritual comfort to patients within the hospital. In July 2009, Chaplain Larry Weidner joined Banner Boswell to create a program that would more fully acknowledge the spiritual dimension of a patient’s life during the healing process.
“Healthcare providers more and more recognize the importance of chaplains as part of the interdisciplinary team in caring for patients,” emphasized Weidner. “Patients may come to the hospital for physical healing; what aids them in that healing is one’s personal spirituality.”
Upon his arrival, Weidner reached out to local clergy, pastors and parish nurses. He created a training and scheduling process, allowing Spiritual Caregivers to offer daily visits to patients. Over the last two years, Banner Boswell’s Spiritual Care program has trained more than 300 clergy and lay ministers from 165 local churches. In 2010, these Spiritual Caregivers provided more than 34,000 patient visits, compared to just over 9,000 visits in 2009.
“The role of any spiritual caregiver is to bring compassionate, loving, non-judgmental and safe presence to patients and their families,” said Weidner. “Whether it’s to pray with a patient or simply to act as someone to talk to, the role of our community Spiritual Caregivers is invaluable.”
For information on ways to support Banner Boswell’s Spiritual Care providers through Sun Health Foundation, please call (623) 876-5330.
About Banner Boswell Medical Center
Banner Boswell Medical Center is a 430-bed, acute-care hospital located in Sun City, Arizona. Founded in 1970, Banner Boswell offers heart services, cancer care, orthopedics, neurosciences, women’s diagnostics, emergency care, and medical and surgical services. Supporting Banner Boswell’s mission of excellent patient care is Sun Health, which encourages charitable giving to enhance health care delivery. Banner Boswell is part of nonprofit Banner Health, named a Top Ten Hospital System in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters, with 23 hospitals throughout the West. For more information about Banner Boswell, visit www.BannerHealth.com/Boswell.
Contact:
Lisa Guinn
(623) 876-5704
