Spirituality's influence on general well-being and its association with healthy ageing has been studied extensively. However, a different perspective has to be brought in when dealing with spirituality issues of ageing Muslims. Central to this perspective is the intertwining of religion and spirituality in Islam. This article will contribute to the understanding of the nature of Islamic spirituality and its immense importance in the life of a practicing ageing Muslim. Consequently, it will help care providers to include appropriate spiritual care in the care repertoire of a Muslim care recipient. It is assumed that the framework for a model of spirituality based on Islamic religious beliefs would help contextualise the relationship between spirituality and ageing Muslims. Not only challenges, but also the opportunities that old age provides for charting the spiritual journey have underpinned this model.
Transnational caregiving can be daunting, yet it often brings out the strengths of the caregiver that he or she may not have been aware of. Thus, it is a wonderful opportunity to know oneself and use those strengths to become better in other areas of life. Transnational caregiving is also a blessing, in that one can still continue to provide care for a loved one by surmounting the barriers of geographical distance. To transform what often is a challenging situation into a blessing, a fresh eye is needed to seek different ways of fulfilling the needs of the loved one by focusing on one thing: How can the caregiver, in his or her individual capacity, make a difference in the quality of life of the family member? This article, while relating personal experience in caring for a parent, traverses these issues.
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