RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY

IN ELDERLY CARE

JEANETTE E. ACCORINTI
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
AREN’T NECESSARILY THE SAME
THING
SPIRITUALITY
 A continuing search for meaning and purpose in
life
 An appreciation for the depth of life, the
expanse of the universe, and natural forces
which operate
 A personal belief system
 (Myers, 1990)
RELIGION:

 Definition of spirituality in its expressive from

– either public or private – or both
 (Ortiz & Langer, 2008)
WHY ARE RELIGION AND
SPIRITUALITY IMPORTANT IN
HEALTHCARE?
THE 50+ AGE GROUP HAS THE GREATEST NUMBER
OF BELIEVERS IN A GOD

Pew Research Center, 2015

THE ELDERLY ARE THE MOST FREQUENT CHURCH-
GOERS

Pew Research Center, 2015

FAITH AND BELIEFS CAN INFLUENCE CHOICE OF CARE

 Where one goes to receive care

 What kind of care one receives
 What other services are provided
 TO PROVIDE THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE FOR OUR ELDERS,
PROFESSIONALS NEED TO CONSIDER:

 Physical health
 Mental health
 Social health
 Spiritual health
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
AND MENTAL HEALTH
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY PROVIDE TOOLS FOR
COPING WITH DISTRESS IN LIFE…

 … Such as illness, spousal death, and financial

problems
 Beliefs or faith can bring hope and build resilience
 They can frame distress in grand scheme or greater
purpose in life
 Strong beliefs can be grounding (Wilkinson &
Coleman, 2010)
 Belief in afterlife, belief in an all-powerful God/gods, etc.
MOST RELIGIONS PROMOTE COMPASSION,
KINDNESS, AND GIVING…

 Leviticus 19:18 – Christianity and Judaism

 “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

 Quran 2:195 – Islam

 “And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.”

 Karuṇā – Pali canon of Buddhism

 Compassion is an integral part of the spiritual path
…AND COMPASSION, KINDNESS, AND
GIVING MAKE US FEEL GOOD

 Helping and giving to others:

 Raises self-esteem
 Brings energy and the feeling of being
alive
 Builds connections between people
 (Weinstein & Ryan, 2010)
ISOLATION AND LONELINESS…
 Result from reduced mobility and
impairments
 Result from illness
 Result from less economic and social
resources
 Result from changing family structures
and loss of friends
 (Courtin & Knapp, 2015)
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
ENCOURAGE SOCIAL COMMUNITIES
 Going to church/temple/mosque is a
regular social activity
 These social activities can help build
social networks
 These communities offer social
resources and support that might not
otherwise be available
 (Ellison & George, 1994)
SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES HAVE A CONNECTION WITH
BETTER COGNITION LATER IN LIFE

 Spiritual activities are different than

recreational activities
 Includes mediation, prayer, reading
devotionals, singing, dancing, candle-
lighting, etc.
 Increases positive mental activity that may
ward off decline of cognition
 (Fung & Lam, 2013)
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
RELIGION INFLUENCES LIFESTYLE

 Many religions have rules and

guidelines about things like:
 Dietary restrictions
 Substance use
 Sexual relationships
STRESS CAN HAVE PHYSIOLOGICAL
CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS…

 Coronary heart disease

 High blood pressure
 Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
 Poor immune function
 Poor hormonal function
 Self-rated pain
RELIGIOUS PRACTICE AND SPIRITUALITY CAN BE
TOOLS FOR COPING WITH STRESS

 … And coping with and

reducing stress is good for
your overall health
POOR MENTAL AND SOCIAL HEALTH HAVE
NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON PHYSICAL HEALTH

 Because spirituality has a direct and positive effect on mental

and social health…
 And mental and social health have an impact on physical
health…
 It follows that spiritual health has an impact on physical
health as well
 (Koenig, 2012)
APPLYING RELIGION AND
SPIRITUALITY TO THE
HEALTHCARE SETTING
PROFESSIONALS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL
COMPONENTS OF ELDERLY WELL-BEING

 Care requires an individualized approach

 Tailor care by knowing an individual’s entire history
 Physical
 Psychological
 Social
 Spiritual
PROFESSIONALS SHOULD:
 Have an education in multiculturalism and in the overlap between:
 Race/ethnicity
 Sexuality
 Religion

 Know with which religious/spiritual population they are working,

especially where they are working
 Take a “spiritual history” beyond just whether or not the individual is
religious/spiritual
 (Vieten, Scammell, Pilato, Ammondson, Pargament & Lukoff, 2013)
QUESTIONS TO ASK: F I C A

 F – Faith or beliefs
 I – Importance and influence
 C – Community
 A – Address
 (Pulaski, 1999)
IN CONCLUSION:
A MULTICULTURAL CARE

 Elderly population is constantly

growing and changing
 Facilities need to have the resources
to serve all residents
 Facilities need to be prepared to
provide care to multiple belief
systems and cultures
 Research needs to address the
changing population’s ethnicity,
culture, and religious practices
REFERENCES
Courtin, E., & Knapp, M. (2015). Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: a scoping review. Health & Social Care in the Community,
25(3), 799-812. doi:10.1111/hsc.12311
Ellison, C. G., & George, L. K. (1994). Religious Involvement, Social Ties, and Social Support in a Southeastern Community. Journal for the
Scientific Study of Religion, 33(1), 46-61. doi:10.2307/1386636
Fung, A., & Lam, L. (2013). Spiritual Activity is Associated with Better Cognitive Function in Old Age. East Asian Arch Psychiatry, 2013(23), 3rd
ser., 102-108.
Ortiz, L. P., & Langer, N. (2002). Assessment of Spirituality and Religion in Later Life. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 37(2), 5-21.
doi:10.1300/J083v37n02_02
Myers, J. E. (1990). Wellness through the lifespan. Guidepost, p. 11.
Pew Research Center. (2015, May 11). Religious Landscape Study - Age Distribution. Retrieved November 13, 2017, from
http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/age-distribution/
Puchalski, C., & Romer, A. L. (2000). Taking a Spiritual History Allows Clinicians to Understand Patients More Fully. Journal of Palliative
Medicine, 3(1), 129-137. doi:10.1089/jpm.2000.3.129
Weinstein, N., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). When helping helps: Autonomous motivation for prosocial behavior and its influence on well-being for
the helper and recipient. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(2), 222-244. doi:10.1037/a0016984
Wilkinson, P., & Coleman, P. (2010). Strong beliefs and coping in old age: A case-based comparison of atheism and religious faith. Ageing and
Society, 30(2), 337-361. doi:10.1017/S0144686X09990353