The Role of Religion, Spirituality and/or Belief in Positive Ageing for Older Adults

Abstract

(1) Background: The concept of positive ageing is gaining recognition as an approach to better understand the lives of older adults throughout the world. Positive ageing encompasses the various ways in which older adults approach life challenges associated with ageing and how certain approaches allow older adults to age in a more positive way. This paper makes a contribution to the field by examining the role of religion, spirituality and/or belief in relation to positive ageing; (2) Methods: Qualitative focus groups with 14 older adults living in West London explored the role and importance religion, spirituality and/or belief held in their everyday lives and how this could be incorporated into the idea of positive ageing; (3) Results: Religion, spirituality and/or belief were found to play a number of roles in the everyday lives of the older adults, including being a source of strength, comfort and hope in difficult times and bringing about a sense of community and belonging; (4) Conclusion: This paper argues that religion, spirituality and/or belief should be included within positive ageing literature and be viewed as a type of support (amongst multiple others) that helps older adults to live positive lives despite the many challenges of ageing.

Online religious counseling for older adults

“…Similar to the positive influence on psychological wellbeing identified in research on offline spiritual activities among Israeli Jews (Levin, 2013), it was evident that online religious counseling can be an important and empowering practice in later life, leading to spiritual growth, intellectual development and social connectedness. As Litwin and colleagues (2017) found, this spiritual involvement may be particularly significant for individuals with age-related mobility constraints, as it keeps them connected with community and spiritual life, providing them with a sense of empowerment, stability, support and direction and improving their emotional wellbeing during critical times (Malone & Dadswell, 2018).…”

“…In line with the approach that does not separate spirituality from religiosity, spiritual wellbeing was defined as a satisfactory relationship with a transcendent deity and contact with one's inner being, as well as interaction and association with the religious community and environment (Fisher, 2011). Many studies have shown the importance of religion for spiritual wellbeing, especially in later life (e.g., Lifshitz et al, 2019;Malone & Dadswell, 2018;Shaw et al, 2016). Towards the end of their lives, people undertake religious involvement in the pursuit of physical healing, comfort and strength (Wang et al, 2014).…”

“…Towards the end of their lives, people undertake religious involvement in the pursuit of physical healing, comfort and strength (Wang et al, 2014). The positive influence of older adults' participation in spiritual activities and religious groups is expressed as reinforced faith, greater sense of purpose and meaning in life, spiritual and tangible support, positive thinking, improved emotional wellbeing and more overall social capital that strengthens them physically and spiritually (Malone & Dadswell, 2018;Shaw et al, 2016). Although such benefits are expressed primarily when older adults face debilitating health conditions (Litwin et al, 2017), participation in formal religious activities tends to decline with advancing age and deteriorated health (Wang et al, 2014).…”

Views on Spirituality in Old Age: What Does Love Have to Do with It?

“…Research about older people point to the health benefits of spirituality and religion. Spirituality can be a framework in daily living and a resource that supports positive ageing, and strengthen bodily and mental well-being and peacefulness, especially when older peoples' health deteriorates (Candy et al 2012;Ennis and Kazer 2013;Lavretsky 2010;Malone and Dadswell 2018;Toivonen et al 2018;Wallace and O'Shea 2007;Whitehead 2018;Zimmer et al 2016). Lavretsky (2010) claims that older people with a religious life view can find greater well-being than nonreligious people, as religious affiliation supports social relationships; moreover, religion can provide the answer to universal questions related to loss and death, as well as contribute to the maintenance of meaning in life.…”

Spirituality and Quality of Life in Older Adults: Path Analyse Model

“…The concept of spirituality is extremely general and multidimensional [7,10,11] anchored in subjective reasons and influenced by each person's life experiences, and includes a set of beliefs, that are not associated with religious doctrines [4] in order to disclose a meaning and understanding life search and trust in a transcendent source, in nature or others, with God or a higher power [7,8]. In religious people, spirituality may reflect the religious doctrine, creeds and philosophical beliefs being the life and disease understands in those perspective [12,13].…”