Spiritual needs of severely ill patients are neglected in health care

: Recent decades have witnessed improvements in palliative care in terms of the physical, social and psychological needs of patients with advanced disease. Although interest in established religions has waned in the western world during the same period, many patients nevertheless have spiritual needs and in this respect there is room for improvement in palliative care. The article consists in discussion of the spiritual needs of patients with advanced disease, and how they can be met by care givers.