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Spirituality and Wellness
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Sister Bridget Haase
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A Holstic Approach Helps Heal the Spririt
One of our goals at The Boston Home is to develop innovative service models. A great example is the Spirituality program, which has two parts: Wellness and Spirituality. The program is an organic entity that seeks to nurture the needs of the mind, body, and spirit.
"The goal of the Spirituality and Wellness Program is to nurture the needs of the whole person," said Sister Bridget Haase, Director of the Spirituality Program. "We all have the same hunger for understanding our place in life, and my goal is to help the residents with that spiritual journey."
This unique program features:
· Relaxation-meditation groups led by two The Boston Home staff members, Norma Harrington, RN, care management coordinator, and Lucille Haratsis, social worker
· Resident-led relaxation groups
· "Life's Questions," a spirituality-themed speaker series coordinated by Rev. Johnson, Director of the Spirituality program Sister Bridget Haase, and Shirley Peterson, The Boston Home social worker
· Off-site spirituality retreats
· Memorial Services
Shirley reports that Life's Questions and the retreats are extremely popular. She and other The Boston Home team members for the overall program attended Boston's Mind/Body Medical Institute, founded by famed "relaxation response" guru Herbert Benson, M.D.
According to Lucille, "You can see the results -- the peace that comes over the residents. They sleep better, and some report it helps with pain."
The Boston Home approaches the "body mind" by using massage-like
techniques to help residents release physical and emotional tension.
We look at the body as a whole, with no distinction between emotional
and physical pain.
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