Value of Research for Anna Chaplaincy
As Anna Chaplaincy matures as a ministry, it seeks to draw upon a range of sources in identifying and supporting best practice in offering spiritual care among older people and demonstrating impact.
This year in her development role with Anna Chaplaincy at BRF Ministries, Julia Burton-Jones has worked with a group of Anna Chaplains with a research background to explore how the ministry might be enriched by dipping into current studies with a relevance to later life spirituality.
This new research team met in May to consider whether a Journal Club might add a dimension to learning and reflection in Anna Chaplaincy. Research into Practice (or RiP, for short!) is the name agreed for this new Anna Chaplaincy group whose terms of reference were agreed at a recent meeting.
The role of the group is to scan articles on studies relevant to spiritual care from a range of academic fields, but most especially practical theology, and consider ways to disseminate relevant findings so that those involved in ministry alongside older people might relate them to their practice. The backgrounds of members of the group are diverse and include gerontology, practical theology, palliative care, dementia care, social policy and adult education. Julia facilitates the group, and ministry lead Debbie Ducille is also a member.
Through 2027 Research into Practice will pilot one-hour Zooms entitled Wisdom in Practice for Anna Chaplains and Anna Friends; an article will be sent before each Zoom (along with a summary where appropriate), and participants are invited to reflect on how the research findings apply to their own work with older people. Discussions in the Zoom, facilitated by the research team, will generate key pointers for Anna Chaplaincy practice which will then be disseminated.
A member of the Research into Practice group and Anna Chaplain, Dr Helen Hindle, was invited to speak about her PhD research at the British Society of Gerontology’s special interest group on Care Homes Research. The symposium was on Spiritual Care in Care Homes and held on 15 October (https://www.britishgerontology.org/about-bsg/special-interest-groups/care-homes).
Helen’s presentation was entitled ‘Spirituality, Wellbeing and Community in Residential Care Homes’ . Dr Olivia Luijnenburg from Kings College London also presented findings of her research on spiritual care in care homes; her talk was entitled ‘SPIRIT in Care: creating a guide for care home workers to support residents with spiritual needs’. Olivia’s guide for care home staff on spiritual care can be found on the KCL website – https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/spirit-in-care.
The symposium was well attended by care home staff and researchers and feedback was very positive. Helen introduced herself as an Anna Chaplain (based in the Diocese of Blackburn), thus raising the profile of Anna Chaplaincy, and she and Olivia will write a blog article for the special interest group in which Helen will also mention Anna Chaplaincy.
We have permission to share the recording of the Care Homes Research Forum symposium, which will only, however, be available for a limited period. Julia and Debbie can highly recommend watching the recording:
In keeping abreast of current research, Julia also attended the annual Care Home Research Forum hosted by Jewish care home provider Nightingale Hammerson on 5 November.
This year’s conference was the 6th Nightingale Hammerson have organised; this amazing charity has a passion for research and has hosted no fewer than 80 research projects. It also prizes spiritual care highly, with in-house rabbis supporting residents in their spiritual needs.
A highlight of the conference was the presence of Hammerson House residents who were vocal in responding to presentations, expressing their views and asking probing questions.
The research described through the day was varied in its focus. Michael Maslinki spoke about transforming risk management in care homes, drawing from his experience living in a care home for nine years while caring for his wife Maggie who had young onset dementia; his book ‘What Would Maggie Do?’ is a manifesto for cultural reform across the care sector.
Dr Ian Hoskin from Cambridge University spoke about designing for inclusion. Prof Paul Brocklehurst from University College London advocated for improving oral health in care homes. Dr Rebecca Millman from University of Manchester gave ideas from her research for improving hearing care for people with dementia in care homes. Prof Catherine Evans gave insights on empowering better end-of-life dementia care for people living in care homes.
There were interesting talks on preparedness in care homes for heatwaves, on how preschool children communicate with residents with dementia, and a fascinating reflection from Dr Laura Brown from the University of Manchester on her research residency at Nightingale House. An important presentation from Dr Caroline Emmer De Albuqueque Green from the University of Oxford considered how the use of AI in care homes can remain ethical and human.
During breaks Julia spoke with other delegates about Anna Chaplaincy. Some understood the importance of this dimension of care and were pleased to hear about the role of Anna Chaplains and the recently published BRF Book Enabling Spiritual Care: A guide for care home staff, but others were ambivalent with one academic saying, 'I’m not sure what is meant by spiritual care’.
Julia could see links between many of the research projects highlighted at the event and Anna Chaplaincy practice. Catherine Evans’ EMBED-Care project looking at end of life dementia care is especially relevant. Of the 12 key decision areas for care planning, spirituality and emotional wellbeing are domains where Anna Chaplains and Anna Friends can make an important contribution.
Findings of the research and associated resources can be found on the website: www:dementia-journeys.com. They include tools for care home staff on holistic assessment, including the IPOS-Dem assessment framework, and the Embed-Care app.
Research looking at intergenerational connections, drawing from the links at Nightingale House between residents with dementia and children from their Apples and Honey nursery, was also interesting from an Anna Chaplaincy perspective, many chaplains include an intergenerational component in their ministry.
Researcher Charly Harris is a speech and language therapist and demonstrated how preschool children instinctively modify their communication to engage people with dementia using tone of voice and nonverbal strategies, pacing their attempts to make a connection with patience and perseverance. Anna Chaplains have an advocacy role and can be part of enabling better care for residents in a wide range of support needs explored at the Research Forum, giving a voice to older people whose wishes can be difficult to hear.
In 2027, Wisdom in Practice’s pilot Zooms will be carefully evaluated to discover how reading, digesting and reflecting on research and its relevance to practice might be of continuing value to Anna Chaplaincy.
Comments