在死亡與苦難前相濡以沫──癌末病人家屬的靈性照護

Mutual Support Beyond Suffering and Mortality-Spiritual Care for Families of Terminal Cancer Patients

隨著癌症病人生命走向尾聲，因為死亡迫近， 主要照顧之家屬在苦難與死亡強光前痛苦遽增， 走上艱辛的靈性旅程。其靈性需求一般包括了： （一）共苦—痛在病人身，慟在家屬心；（二）無用—心受病況箝，無力挽狂瀾；（三）孤獨—關愛難啟齒，死亡路獨行；（四）疲潰—蠟燭多頭燒，照顧負荷沉；（五）無望—舉步盡矛盾，徬徨心懵緲。唯有評估其靈性助力與阻力，利用陪伴、傾聽、同理家屬的苦難敘說，善用宗教與非宗教之照護方式，導引找尋愛、饒恕以及和解等價值與正面能量，答覆其靈性的需求。藉由強化個人重要信念，協助家屬在苦難之中鏈結與天、人、物、我之關係，看到生命的希望，發現苦難的意義，進而尋得完整的自我與內在平安，在靈性中超越成長。

With the progression of cancer and the approach of death in terminal cancer patients, the suffering of the family members of patients increases drastically, often leading into a difficult spiritual journey. The needs for spiritual care in this population generally consist of: 1. Empathy: Bearing the psychological stress due to the sharing of physical pain with the patients; 2. Powerlessness: Regretting not having the power to turn the tide; 3. Loneliness: Becoming exhausted due to facing heavy physical workloads alone; 4. Break down: Feeling hopeless in the face of the myriad challenges of care; 5. Despair: Feeling perplexed by the prospects of a desperate future; 6. Sorrow: Feeling bitter due to the realization that the disease is incurable and to being reluctant to acknowledge the parting. The spiritual needs of family members may be met by evaluating the needs for and resistance to spiritual care, followed by the use of religious and non-religious companions and the application of listening and empathy approaches in order to elicit positive thoughts and the values of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. In strengthening their personal beliefs, family members may find connectedness with god, humanity, and objects; may see hope in life; and may find the meaning of suffering in order to further seek and find inner peace, accomplish themselves, and eventually achieve spiritual sublimation.