Site Mission:

To engage the depth of the human condition through a diverse and creative program of pastoral service, education, and research.

About the Site:

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Founded in 1954 by the United Methodist Church, Wesley Woods is a 100 bed geriatric hospital, with a medical unit, rehab unit, psychology and neuropsychology unit. There is a 200 resident independent living facility, and two 200 bed nursing homes. The average age of a patient in the geriatric hospital is 86. There are a high percentage of patients with Alzheimer's and dementia. It is the only free standing geriatric hospital in the country, and is a teaching school for Emory Medical School in Geriatrics. The hospital sees 15,000-20,000 patients a year.

The hours are flexible for the Candler student. However, students primarily work during the hours of 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.

A Student's Perspective:

Mike says:

"Wesley Woods is conveniently located just a few miles from the Candler School of Theology Building. There is a shuttle bus that runs every half-hour from campus to the site.

The Wesley Woods campus offers several living and treatment centers with distinct ministry opportunities. The chaplain interns most commonly visit elders in their long-term residential units. Each chaplain is assigned a floor of a residential building and made weekly rounds. This usually involves “cold visits” to individual rooms, but chaplains also lead programs such as bible studies or prayer services. These residential units vary from highly independent living to assisted living, so each chaplain’s ministry opportunities are unique.

In addition to the residential buildings, many chaplains can be placed in one of the hospital’s units, which include Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, and Neuropsychiatry among others. My work in the Neuropsychiatry unit included collaboration with a music therapist. We led a thirty minute devotional service by singing old church hymns and then discussing the song’s lyrics. For example, we might sing 'Amazing Grace' and then ask, 'What is grace? And what does grace look like in a hospital?' The greatest gift during this process was our weekly reflection group. My colleagues and I wrestled with a variety of issues related to aging, pastoral care, and vocational discernment. Our group was a safe place where persons shared their experiences honestly, and received valuable feedback. This group and ministry setting has proved invaluable in forming my pastoral identity."