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CHAPLAINCY
RSL WA Support
Chaplaincy in the Australian Defence Force has a rich history of over 100 years. Chaplains have supported members and families both in Australia and overseas on operations and in war.
Many veterans will know Chaplains from their time in the ADF. A high level of trust and mateship has often been built over years of service between ADF members and Chaplains.
Chaplaincy offers another avenue of support that is confidential and pastoral through the Spiritual. This support adds to the care and services offered to veterans in Western Australia.
Pastoral care
- Life events
- Staff support
- Call outs to veterans in need
- Advice on life
- End of life care
- Spiritual, emotional and religious counsel and wellbeing support.
- Pastoral care activities with members and families
- Support to responders and members in a critical incident situation
- Referring members to other health services
- Make referrals to other health professionals if required.
Public Support (beyond individual or family)
- Memorial services - planning, preparation and conduct
- Commemorative services - planning, preparation and conduct
- Funerals
- Weddings
- Hospital visits
- Aged complex visits
- Anzac House support
- Leadership
- Build relationships with associations and Sub-Branches.
- Liaise with local faith and community groups.
Model of care
Modern research tells us what has been historically known, that the ‘spiritual’, which is a Chaplain’s core function, is an important facet of the holistic care of people. Sulmasey in 2002 postulated the value of connecting the spiritual into care by noting ‘A human person is a being in a relationship—bio- logically, psychologically, socially, and transcendently.
Spirituality in the model can be described as “that aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred”. This definition is also accepted in the ADF as its definition of spirituality within the ADF Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
Meaning, purpose, and connection are vital aspects of a person's well-balanced life. Therefore, the spiritual is important and foundational to the care of a member and their family.
Chaplaincy needs to be differentiated from religious activities which become part of the outward interpretation of the spiritual. Chaplaincy is inclusive of all religions and is not discriminatory for those who believe in no religious approach to life either.
Chaplains, however, will have their own beliefs which will influence some of the approaches used.
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