In 2008, the Canadian Virtual Hospice expanded its clinical team to include Rev. Dr. Glen Horst, who is exceptionally qualified to provide leadership on spiritual matters relating to palliative care. Dr. Horst is responsible for spiritual material posted on www.virtualhospice.ca and provides consultation for questions submitted to Ask a Professional.
In his 22 years of work as a spiritual care provider and educator in long-term care, Dr. Horst has regarded the end of life as a time full of spiritual opportunity and need. He has helped patients and families find their spiritual depths and mentored students, health care workers, community spiritual leaders and volunteer caregivers. His research has encouraged changes in the way nursing homes manage the transitions surrounding the deaths of residents.
As a member of the Collegial Development and Peer Review Group, Dr. Horst assisted in the development of the Pallium Project’s Developing Spiritual Care Capacity for Hospice Palliative Care. These curriculum resource materials have raised the expectations and standards of spiritual care within the hospice palliative care community in Canada.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto (1967)
- Master of Divinity, Goshen Biblical Seminary, Elkart, Indiana (1971)
- Certification as Teaching Supervisor in Clinical Pastoral Education, Canadian Association for Pastoral Education (1971)
- Doctor of Ministry (with distinction), United Theological Seminary, New Brighton, Minnesota (2003)
Academic Affiliation
- Affiliated Faculty, Faculty of Theology, University of Winnipeg
Recent Publications
- Review of Spiritual Caregiving in the Hospital: Windows to Chaplaincy Ministry, by Leah Dawn Bueckert and Daniel S. Schipani, eds. Conrad Grebel Review 25 (Spring 2007): 96-98.
- “Dancing into Retirement.” Spiritual Care: A Newsletter for Wholistic Health and Healing Across Manitoba, Dec. 2007, 16.
- “Health – A Matter of the Soul.” Spiritual Care: A Newsletter for Wholistic Health and Healing Across Manitoba, Oct. 2005, 1, 3 - 4.
- “Endings and Beginnings.” The Elm Leaf Newsletter: The Parish Church of St. Peter, Sept. 2007, 9-11.
- “Hope in the Face of Death.” The Hospice Companion 16 (Feb. 2005), 3.
- Reviewer for Developing Spiritual Care Capacity for Hospice Palliative Care. The Pallium Project, 2006.