ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to make a common-sense argument for caring for the hearts and minds of society's care workers based upon a framework that honours the personal and the spiritual aspects of humanity as a core part of science. It examines the vital question of the care, support and back-up that the carer also needs if the caring role is to be sustainable and satisfying. The chapter argues that care cannot be spiritually competent unless the spiritual energies of the carer are also continuously supported and refreshed. This means having a model of care that includes the relationship between the carer and the supportive environment. The spirituality of care can then be seen as not just an individual or intrapersonal phenomenon but also as an interpersonal, systemic and dynamic one. The chapter concludes by bringing together some of the more important practical applications that can be derived from an approach based on 'spiritual nutrition'.
