Enhancing Wellbeing in Aged Care through Holistic, Person-centred Spiritual Care
Principal Supervisor: Dr Elizabeth MacKinlay
Co-Supervisor: Dr Jane Foulcher
The spiritual dimension is a universal aspect of humanity, becoming particularly important later in life.
Residential aged care homes often provide task-based care. This potentially overlooks holistic, person-centred perspectives, including the spiritual needs of older people, resulting in unmet spiritual needs. From July 2025, the Aged Care Quality Standards require holistic, person-centred care incorporating the spiritual dimension. No existing resource articulates the elements of holistic, person-centred care in aged care. This research project seeks to define a model, framework and guidelines (MFGs) to support providers in implementing holistic, person-centred care.
This project will build upon the National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care that articulate best practices in spiritual care. The research will be based on these Guidelines, MacKinlay’s Spiritual Tasks and Processes of Ageing and practical theology. The research will be conducted collaboratively, partnering with stakeholders through action-based research, co-design and mixed methods methodology. Data will be collected through a case study, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and workshops informing MFGs v1. A Delphi process will be conducted with panellists to produce MFGs v2. The MFGs v2 will be piloted in four aged care homes. Following an evaluation and consultation, the final version of the MFGs will be published.
I completed my Master of Arts (Ageing and Pastoral Studies) at CSU. One of my lecturers was Rev. Professor Elizabeth MacKinlay AM. Her work inspired me so much that I wanted to pursue research promoting spirituality in residential aged care.
Accredited Chaplain, Chaplaincy Australia
Recognised Professional Supervisor, Australian Association of Supervisors
International Surveyor, ISQua (International Society for Quality in Health Care)
Pringle, E., & Doyle, C. (2016). National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care: Stakeholder Consultation Report. Meaningful Ageing Australia.
Pringle, E. (2016, 3 June). Recognising the Spiritual dimension – enhancing care models. Aged Care Quality Agency Better Practice Conference, Melbourne.
Pringle, E. (2010). Promoting High Quality Care. In E. MacKinlay (Ed.), Ageing and Spirituality Across Faiths and Cultures (pp. 228-242). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Pringle, E. (2004). Achieving quality care: shifting from a blame culture to a learning culture. In R. Nay & S. Garratt (Eds.), Nursing older people: issues and innovations (2nd ed., pp. 55-56). Churchill Livingstone.