Poster Presentation 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

Forgiveness and Reconciliation at the End of Life: Practical Approaches in Spiritual Counseling (125904)

Chik Yi Chan 1 , Chun-Kai Fang 2
  1. Department of Pastoral Care, MacKay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, TAIWAN, Taiwan
  2. Hospice and Palliative Care Center, MacKay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei,, Taiwan

In this presentation, I explore my experiences providing spiritual care to cancer patients and families navigating end-of-life transitions, with a focus on forgiveness, reconciliation, and legacy. Within the Hospice-Focused Palliative Outcome Index (HFPOI) and the CUP Model (Context, User, Provider), I offer care that is both structured and deeply personal, shaped by patients' life stories and values.

I frequently accompany individuals who carry unresolved emotional wounds, estranged relationships, or spiritual doubts that resurface near death. Through compassionate presence and guided reflection, I support patients in articulating regret, seeking forgiveness, or offering it, whether to others, to themselves, or in relation to their beliefs.

I work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams to create spaces where such healing conversations can unfold, often using the Patient Spiritual Well-being Scale (PtSpWBS) to identify unmet spiritual needs. In many cases, a single act of reconciliation has markedly eased spiritual distress and brought peace to both patients and families.

Beyond bedside care, I offer post-death rituals and bereavement follow-up when spiritual incompleteness persists. I believe that spiritual counseling is not solely about religious belief, but about restoring connection, dignity, and meaning in life’s final chapter.