DESCRIPTION: This course (offered pass/fail for 2 units) is designed to
provide an experience of pastoral care for senior adults, under the direct
supervision of an experienced chaplain or pastor to senior adults. Students
will: 1) explore issues seniors face after retirement including how to continue
leading an active life, and concerns about spirituality & religion,
illness, death and dying, 2) develop skills in visitation and spiritual
assessment within home and health care facility contexts; 3) sharpen abilities
to reflect theologically in connection with issues related to aging; 4)
participate in grief support and memorial services if needed.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) have a clearer sense of
pastoral identity; (2) be better able to function in a pastoral role; (3) grow
in their moral and spiritual integrity as followers of Jesus Christ; (4) be
better able to engage in theological reflection in Christian ministry; (5)
appreciate the importance of theological reflection in Christian ministry; (6)
be more committed to the church.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: This course provides an introduction to the world of
senior care ministry--its tasks, skills, challenges and opportunities.
COURSE FORMAT: The student will spend a minimum of 100 hours in course-related
settings, e.g., homes, skilled nursing facilities, etc. in one 10-week period.
During this time, the student will fulfill visit assignments to seniors, meet
at least one hour per week with the chaplain or pastor for supervision and
integrative and didactic sessions, and participate in memorial services or
support group settings as assigned.
ASSIGNMENTS: Regular and punctual attendance, completion of all visitation
assignments, attendance at agreed upon meetings, inservices, and support
groups; completion of at least four written (typed) verbatims and one book
review (2-3pages) to be submitted to the chaplain or pastoral supervisor; and a
personal evaluation report (3-5 pages, single spaced) to be submitted by the
student to the Office of Field Education the tenth week of the quarter. NOTE:
Substitute assignments may be given by the chaplain or pastor, but equivalent
material must be submitted.
PREREGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS: Before the student may register for this
course, several steps must be completed, a process that may take up to a
month, since the student is responsible to make arrangements for an internship
site. The first step in the process is to read the preregistration materials
available on the internet at www.fuller.edu/sot/fielded or in the Office
of Field Education. After the student has submitted internship and supervisor
applications, he or she must schedule an enrollment interview with the Office
of Field Education. If the internship is approved, the student will then
receive a Course Approval Notification that must be submitted to the Academic
Advisor prior to registration. The student must also complete an orientation
with the assigned chaplain at the beginning of the internship.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets FE2 Field Education MDiv requirement (MIN
7). This internship is offered pass/fail for two units.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.