Can prayer be considered a form of end-of-life therapy? Many experts say yes, viewing it as a key part of spiritual care that helps ease emotional and mental pain for people facing death.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12699817/
In palliative care, which focuses on comfort for those with serious illnesses, spirituality matters a lot. Patients often want spiritual support, but doctors do not always give it enough attention. Studies show that tools like the Ars Moriendi Model help nurses and family doctors assess spiritual needs in home-based care for life-threatening conditions. This involves talking to patients about their beliefs and practices, including prayer.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12699817/
Training programs for doctors build skills in spiritual care. For example, a long-term study followed family physicians who learned about it during residency. Over eight to ten years, they used interviews to see lasting changes in how they handled patients’ spiritual side. Another program reached over 500 clinicians, including many physicians, teaching them to include spiritual practices like prayer in outpatient visits.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12699817/
Religious views back this up too. Jewish tradition allows prayer to ask God to end suffering in terminal cases, as long as it does not mean actively ending life. Christian groups stress relieving pain through emotional and spiritual care, praising better pain management and support from chaplains, nurses, and churches to fight feelings of isolation.https://www.britannica.com/procon/MAID-medical-aid-in-dying-debate/Religious-Perspectives-on-Euthanasia-and-Medical-Aid-in-Dying
Chaplains often lead this care in places like long-term facilities. They offer one-on-one spiritual help to residents nearing the end, making prayer a direct way to provide comfort.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07334648251408543
Prayer acts like therapy by addressing the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. It gives peace, reduces fear, and connects people to their faith during tough times. Essays on doctor-patient talks note that up to 80 percent of end-of-life interactions involve spiritual elements like prayer.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12699817/
Sources
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12699817/
https://www.britannica.com/procon/MAID-medical-aid-in-dying-debate/Religious-Perspectives-on-Euthanasia-and-Medical-Aid-in-Dying
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07334648251408543
