Courtesy Photo Members of the Alpena Area Ministerial Association present a $600 donation to Laura Hoffman, spiritual care manager, MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, and Ann Diamond, fund development director, MyMichigan Health Foundation.

ALPENA — Alpena Area Ministerial Association recently donated $600 to MyMichigan Health Foundation for the new Spiritual Care program at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena.

Laura Hoffman, spiritual care manager and recipient rights officer at the Medical Center in Alpena, was thrilled to have their support. Hoffman has many ideas for the future development of the program and will be utilizing this donation to enhance the lives of both patients and the staff. Future program ideas include prayer pebbles, an enhancement to the Spiritual Care Center to be more inclusive and to honor all different types of spirituality and religions, as well as the development of a Zen room for staff.

The primary goal of spiritual care is to help patients feel a sense of spiritual well-being. According to Nursing Outcomes Classification, spiritual well-being is defined as “the ability to experience and to integrate meaning and purpose in life through connectedness with self, others, art, music, literature, nature, and/or a power greater than oneself, that can be strengthened through internal or external resources.” Hoffman states, “The NOC goal is not just for patients and families but for staff, as well.”

Hoffman has had a dream of starting this program in Alpena for years, as she recognized a need and presented the idea to the MyMichigan Health leadership. She cites Dr. Christina Puchalski as an international leader in the movement to integrate spirituality into health care and the impact spirituality has on health outcomes. Studies show an increase in patient satisfaction and employee engagement with the presence of a spiritual program.

“My goal is to assess what makes people feel safe and secure and what gets them through difficult times,” Hoffman said.

Some reasons to refer or call in a Spiritual Care provider may be at request of the patient or family including receiving a new life-changing diagnosis, a sudden change of condition, an end-of-life decision making, possible organ donation, and death. Many times, patients or family members may be experiencing spiritual or emotional distress, anger, hopelessness, fear, or loneliness when these events occur, during those times a Spiritual Care program can be of assistance for them.

For more information about the new program, contact Hoffman at laura.hoffman@mymichigan.org or 989-356-7383.