Date of Award
12-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Primary Advisor
Rodney Ashlock
Secondary Advisor
Virgil Fry
Committee Reader
Tim Sensing
Abstract
ABSTRACT How can a hospice chaplain know whether their presence and ministry make a meaningful difference when visiting patients with dementia or other serious cognitive impairments? This project thesis seeks to answer that question conclusively. The theological foundation of this project centers on the doctrine of the imago Dei—the image of God—as it relates to individuals who are dying with cognitive deficits. Specifically, it explores how a person who is helpless and near death continues to reflect the image of God. The project intervention described here is the creation of a specialized training guide for hospice chaplains at Bridge Hospice in San Diego, California. Using a method of qualitative research called Participatory Action Research, the author collaborated with six expert hospice chaplains to develop the guide. The findings of the study provide a clear and affirming conclusion: hospice chaplains can know that they are doing good. The answer is an unequivocal yes.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Sullivan, Shane, "The Spiritual Care of Hospice Patients with Cognitive Deficits" (2025). Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations. 68.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/dmin_theses/68
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