Pastoral Care Coordinator Elisabeth from the Hunter home care team has been with HammondCare for seven years. Elisabeth supports 70 home care clients in the region, working with other team members to deliver pastoral care and other additional support.

Our Christian motivation means that we nurture the spiritual well-being of people, as well as meeting their physical and emotional needs.

What do we mean by ‘pastoral care’?

Pastoral care is about supporting the whole person – actually seeing them for who they are and developing a personal relationship from that starting point. This helps us to build an authentic picture, so we know how to best support each client.

An important part of the pastoral care role is to create a safe space where people can be heard and have their feelings validated. By simply sitting with them and really listening, they have an opportunity to share what is going on.

Do you work individually or with a team?

It’s definitely always a team effort. Together with a HammondCare volunteer, we recently supported a client who had become too anxious to leave her house. Through regular contact with her via phone and in person – ensuring we gave her all the time and space she needed – we encouraged her to see a psychologist, and gently suggested a few strategies to help her re engage with her community.

The client now regularly attends a book club at the local library, as well as a seniors morning tea with a special guest speaker, three times a month; and enjoys shared activities with her new volunteer every fortnight. She told me that HammondCare ‘saved her life.’

Can you give me an example of a typical day as a Pastoral Care Coordinator?

You can’t put this job inside a box, that’s for sure – no two days are the same!

I always allow room for flexibility. A recent example was when I visited a client from the Upper Hunter who was admitted to hospital in Newcastle for cancer treatment. It’s a 2 hour drive for the home care team and I live close to Newcastle, so I visited on their behalf and organised the rest of my priorities for that day .

It’s about going where we’re most needed, at any given time.

How do you feel your role directly supports clients?

A big part of my job is helping to create connections. Sometimes it’s as simple as a chat over a cuppa. Other times, a client might need something else, like if they‘ve just lost a loved one and want to be held, to feel physically supported.

Or it could be the sharing of joyous news – for example, the recent arrival of a new baby to the family.

Offering the gift of time and being truly present can mean so much.

Do you have a standout moment you would like to share?

I’ve had many standout moments!

A particular time comes to mind - when I was requested by a client’s family to read the eulogy at her funeral. It was such a privilege. And then when her son became terminally ill, I was able to be there for the extended family who already knew me.

My team are there to help families through the tough times, such as when a loved one passes.

It’s not just clients we care for; we support their carers and the special people in their lives, too.

Want to speak with a member of our Pastoral Care team? Talk to your Care Manager.

Read more about HammondCare’s Pastoral Care support here.