Coping with loneliness can be a challenge for anyone faced with sudden changes in life’s relationships or living arrangements and standards. For many who find themselves in a skilled nursing care facility, whether for a long- or short-term stay, their aloneness, coupled with being in an unfamiliar environment, hastens the urgency for friendly and sincere company.

No one understands this better than the staff and volunteers of St. Joseph of the Pines Spiritual Care and Mission Services Departments.

The members of the Department of Mission and Pastoral /Spiritual Care Services at Saint Joseph of the Pines are here to provide:

• Spiritual comfort and support in times of crises through compassionate presence, prayer, rituals, sacraments and confidential counsel to patients, residents, families, and staff members.
• Assistance for patients and their families to cope with serious illness and end-of-life issues.
• Creation and coordination of religious and memorial services.
• Healing presence to people of all faiths or no faith. Our Interfaith Department of Spiritual Care at St. Joseph of the Pines provides care and support for residents, families and associates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pastoral care is offered by our staff chaplains and volunteer chaplains to individuals of all faiths, or of no particular faith. Specific denominational affiliation is not required to use our services.

Our Spiritual Care Functions begin by assessing the spiritual values and needs of residents/families in order to provide timely, appropriate pastoral and spiritual intervention. We then assist residents and their families in drawing upon their spiritual resources as an important element in the healing and recovery process.

• We ensure that residents/families have ready access to religious practices and rituals which sustain them in times of spiritual distress and uncertainty.
• We provide pastoral/spiritual comfort and counsel to residents/families in anticipatory grief and bereavement crisis and provide emotional and spiritual support to the healthcare associates in times of stress or personal crisis in caring for residents/families.
• We assist residents/families in the theological and spiritual aspects of critical decision-making; e.g. end of life decisions and clinical ethics consults.
• We advocate for resident rights in regard to spiritual, cultural and psychological values and how they impact a resident’s behavior and their support system’s response to their care.
• The Spiritual Care Department participates in organizational and departmental continuous quality improvement efforts and activities and provide value-added pastoral care, which enhances both customer and associate satisfaction.

Saint Joseph of the Pines Health Center is proud to participate in programs and activities designed to honor the mission of St. Joseph of the Pines.

Through the efforts of volunteers, No One Dies Alone provides a reassuring presence to dying patients who would otherwise be alone. With the support of the nursing staff, the volunteer compassionate companions offer patients the most valuable of human gifts – a dignified death.

Volunteer Compassionate Companions will extend caring concern to the patients and community of St. Joseph of the Pines by providing a reassuring presence at the bedside of a dying patient who would otherwise be alone.

No One Dies Alone is for St. Joseph of the Pines patients who are expected to die within 48 to 72 hours and have no friends or family locally or who have no family involved or present.

Director of Pastoral Care and Mission Services: Reverend Carl Naylor, (910) 246-1170, 103 Gossman Drive, Southern Pines, NC 28387

The Mission Services Department of Saint Joseph of the Pines assists in the understanding, development and implementation of the mission and values set forth in the Saint Joseph of the Pines mission statement. The office is responsible for advocacy and community benefit and outreach.

Learn about the care opportunities available at SJP:

St. Joseph’s Health Center
Therapy Village, Rehabilitative Therapy
The Coventry Assisted Living
Neese Clinic
Providence Place Residential Living