Enhancing spiritual harmony in palliative care

It appears that spiritual harmony, which is so vital for human equanimity, has been greatly challenged, and even eroded, during the coronavirus pandemic. The unprecedented nature of the coronavirus infection has caused thousands of human deaths in the UK and around the world. The infections and subsequent deaths tend to shatter purpose and meaning of life among survivors and the bereaved while testing their resilience. With that comes spiritual distress, which is correlated with increased anxiety, pain, sadness and, eventually, depression (Gilbert, 2013). To compound this situation is the impact of social distancing-there is no contact between patients and their families, and staff must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), which places barriers between them and their patients, so both can be protected from the virus. Self-quarantine when experiencing coronavirus symptoms creates isolation, which again impacts people's spiritual harmony. Therefore, it is important that palliative care delivered during and after the coronavirus pandemic seeks to enhance the spiritual harmony of those receiving care.