The Role and Meaning of Spirituality in Older People Living With Dementia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Spiritual care is a component of holistic nursing care, and it is a crucial element in providing person-centred care of older people living with dementia. The review aimed to find a deeper meaning and provide a profound interpretation of the role of spirituality from the perspective of older people living with dementia.Methods: The systematic review was conducted using Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Four databases: CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct, EBSCO host and reference lists were searched for studies published by February 2020. The Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument were used to assess the quality of studies, and the data were synthesised using thematic analysis. Results: Ten studies were included in the systematic review. Two main themes: (1) Spirituality as an inner source of power and (2) Spirituality as connectedness described the role and meaning of spirituality in older people living with dementia. Findings show the importance of spirituality as an inner source which gives people with dementia strength in facing dementia and also highlighted the role and meaning of connectedness with self, others and God. Relationships with family and the community is an essential reflection of spiritual life and represent a source of incentive and joy for older people with dementia.Conclusion: These findings provide new insights based on the qualitative perspective of older people living with dementia. This review offers nursing staff a broader and more in-depth insight into the role and meaning of spirituality as experienced by older people living with dementia and thus encourage the implementation of spiritual care as an integral part of providing holistic person-centred care.