The Doctor and the Rabbi: A Healing Conversation About End-of-Life Care

by Rev. Rosemary Lloyd“It routinely makes me hurt inside when patients and family are admitted to an ICU, as most have rarely if ever considered what care they truly want, or not. It is heart breaking to try and help them assimilate it all, and all too frequently decisions are left for families, with left over feelings that may linger for years.”This is what Dr. Jeff Dichter, an ICU Medical Director wrote gratefully to Rabbi Esther Adler of Mount Zion Temple in Saint Paul, Minnesota afterher sermon on Yom Kippur, a major holy day in the Jewish calendar.“As health care professionals,” he continued, “we sometimes wonder ‘aren’t there others in society who might help all of us consider these things ahead of time?’” The medical intensivist found one of those “others” in a rabbi who talked to her congregation about end-of-life care.Rabbi Adler is not the only faith leader prepared to help their communities.During Conversation Sabbath, Nov. 11-20, clergy of many faiths are joining Rabbi in encouraging their congregants to have “The Conversation” about your wishes with your circle of loved ones and have it sooner rather than later. To start talking around the kitchen table, not waiting until there is a crisis in the ICU. Rabbi Adler chose to address her congregation on these themes earlier this fall because Yom Kippur is the most well-attended service of the Jewish year and she wanted to promote the mission and tools of The Conversation Project to as many p...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - Category: Palliative Care Tags: chaplain lloyd spiritual spirituality spirituality/religion Source Type: blogs