(LOS ALAMITOS, CA, April 2017) — Los Alamitos Medical Center announces the formation of a Pastoral Care program.  The purpose of the group will be to enhance the spiritual services currently offered and to add a community component.  Our program will include volunteers representing a broad array of religious faiths and cultural backgrounds. They will function as an integral part of the interdisciplinary healthcare team and will offer spiritual and emotional support in times of stress.

 “If a patient requests a Pastoral Care volunteer, we will try to match patients with a person of their own religion or belief system,” said Karen Games, RN, Senior Director of Process Improvement.  “Volunteers may read, pray, or talk with patients and their families. We are working with local clergy and are building a diverse network of volunteers.”

Training is provided as program volunteers will offer support with end of life issues, help with events such as memorial services and blessings, and participate in ethics consultations. More information is available on the hospital website (www.losalamitosmedctr.com) or you may contact Karen Games, RN at 562.799.3284.

About Los Alamitos Medical Center

Opened in 1968, Los Alamitos Medical Center is a 167-bed acute care hospital located at 3751 Katella Ave. in Los Alamitos. The medical center offers a wide range of programs for families – from birthing suites to senior programs. Medical services include a 24-hour emergency department; Birthing Center; cardiology, including a cardiac catheterization/angiography suite; neurointerventional suite; comprehensive cancer services; respiratory; an on-site laboratory; MRI and open MRI; CT Scan; PET Scan; inpatient physical therapy; secured geropsychiatry unit; wound healing and hyperbarics; robot-assisted surgery; and others. The hospital is part of an integrated medical campus that includes four medical office buildings and the TotalCare Pavilion. The TotalCare Pavilion is home to the hospital’s Cancer Center, Infusion Center, Imaging Center, pre-op services and the Orthopaedic Institute. The Health Care Center on Golden Rain Road, located within the Seal Beach Leisure World community, is part of the campus, too. The hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.