“I Am Just an Ordinary Person …”: Spiritual Reminiscence in Older People with Memory Loss

SUMMARY

One of the greatest challenges to people diagnosed with dementia is their search for meaning leading to the development of effective coping strategies as their memory loss and confusion progresses. The challenge for carers is to learn ways of entering the world of people who have difficulties communicating and have behaviour problems, assisting them to communicate more effectively by responding to their interests and needs, and listening to their emotions expressed in various ways. Strategies are being developed for supporting and affirming personhood in those people who are often isolated and withdrawn from even their closest friends and relatives. Spiritual reminiscence work is one way of helping older people with memory loss find meaning in their lives as they cope with the day to day difficulties of memory loss and prepare for death.

This paper will present the results from indepth interviews from 16 participants in a larger study exploring memory loss and spiritual reminiscence. Themes arising from the data analysis revolve around notions of relationships, loneliness, family and attendance at worship.     

Bridging Psychology and Theology When Counseling Older Adults

SUMMARY

Seniors raise many questions for counselors; some of these questions directly impact what can be called spiritual concerns. Yet, finding a consistent definition of what a “spiritual concern” is has challenged all of the major counseling professions. In this paper the author calls upon the work of Paul Tillich in dialogue with that of Viktor Frankl to bridge the theological definitions of spiritual concern with psychological intervention.     

A Survey of Recent Scholarship on the New Testament and Aging and Suggestions for Future Research

ABSTRACT

This article has a double agenda. In the first section, it identifies and selectively surveys nine areas that have figured prominently in recent scholarship on aging and the elderly in the New Testament. In the second section, it identifies areas for future research. Particularly emphasized is the challenge of exploring the relationship between the New Testament material and the Greco-Roman world. In order to do this, it is necessary to identify attitudes, roles, and practices that surround aging and the elderly in that cultural context. Some resources and questions that may serve as starting points for further research are indicated.     

The Spiritual Dimension of Caring: Applying a Model for Spiritual Tasks of Ageing

SUMMARY

This chapter describes a spiritual dimension of ageing using themes and a model for spiritual tasks of ageing, developed as a part of doctoral studies that examined spirituality amongst a group of independent-living older adults in Canberra and NSW. This model has been tested further and the model was confirmed through in-depth interviews of residents of nursing homes in the ACT. The first study identified six major spiritual themes from participant interviews. These were: ultimate meaning in life for each person, the way they responded to meaning, self-sufficiency versus despair, moving from provisional to final life meanings, relationship versus isolation in ageing and hope versus despair.     

The Importance of Religious Orientation and Purpose in Life for Dying Well: Evidence from Three Case Studies

ABSTRACT

As older adults approach the end of their lives, it is not uncommon to find a decrease in subjective well-being. However, a number of studies have indicated that elders with an intrinsic rather than extrinsic religious orientation often are able to keep a high level of subjective well-being even if they are close to death. In a previous quantitative study, only intrinsic religiosity was indirectly and positively related to subjective well-being in a sample of 103 relatively healthy older adults and 19 hospice patients (aged 61 +), mediated by shared spiritual activities and purpose in life. Extrinsic religiosity, by contrast, was indirectly and negatively related to subjective well-being. To explore in greater depth how religious orientation might influence subjective well-being at the end of life, we used the method of objective hermeneutics to examine semi-structured qualitative interviews with three older male hospice patients (aged 79, 80, and 98) on religion/spirituality and attitudes about death and dying. Results of the analyses revealed that the intrinsically religious respondent maintained his sense of cosmic purpose in life, which continued to be a source of satisfaction for him, unaffected by his terminal illness. The two extrinsically religious respondents, however, did not find solace in their religion and, hence, were unable to cope with their physical and emotional dependence and vulnerability. The findings suggest that an intrinsic religious orientation is most likely to be related to a cosmic sense of purpose in life, which facilitates subjective well-being even in the face of death.     

Religiosity and Church-Based Assistance Among Chronically Ill African-American and White Elderly

ABSTRACT

This study examines religion and church-based assistance among 127 chronically ill African-American and white elderly persons hospitalized for congestive heart failure and discharged to home. Elders reported high levels of religiosity and prayer behavior; they reported low levels of church help received. Controlling for living arrangement, gender, social class and health in probit regression analyses, race was not a significant predictor of subjective religiosity, frequency of prayer, or level of church help received. Findings indicated a significant race-by-health interaction. Subjective religiosity was positively associated with health for whites but no relationship was found between religiosity and health for African-Americans. Further research is called for that replicates study findings on other elders with chronic illness.     

Chapter 9: A Christian Education for the Spiritual Growth of Senior Adults

SUMMARY

Spiritual maturity among older adults is not automatic. The achievement of this most significant and worthy goal is, in part, an individual's choice. However, it is assisted by the deliberate efforts of Christian education, as a church seeks to meet the needs of seniors by appealing to their life concerns. How this is done may vary, but the needs and interests of senior adults dictate that it must be done. This article provides an overview of older adults' needs as they relate to spiritual development, and then offers some general suggestions a church might consider for guiding them toward spiritual maturity.     

心理健康素养：概念、评估、干预与作用

心理健康素养是促进心理健康的重要途径。狭义概念指帮助人们认识、处理和预防心理疾病的相关知识和信念; 广义概念指综合运用心理健康知识、技能和态度, 保持和促进心理健康的能力。心理健康素养常采用情景案例问卷、单维或多维评估量表等进行评估, 可以通过社会运动、学校教育、自助式应用程序、心理健康急救培训等方式进行有效干预提高, 其中心理健康知识、心理疾病识别、情绪调节、减少病耻感、积极的求助态度等成分都有促进心理健康的作用。未来研究可以在建构评估指标体系、探索作用机制、扩展涵盖群体与内容、加强实证干预研究等方面深入开展。     

幼儿早期阅读水平的发展——横断和追踪研究

从读写萌发的观点出发,采用横段和追踪设计,探讨了4至6岁学前儿童阅读相关知识、识字水平和故事理解水平的关系及其年龄发展特征。结果显示:在学前阶段,儿童已经掌握了一定阅读知识,具备了一定识字水平和故事理解水平;横断研究结果显示幼儿3种早期阅读技能之间有显著的正相关;但是根据追踪数据进行的路径分析发现,3种早期阅读技能只与半年后相对应的阅读技能有直接关系,而三者彼此之间并没有跨时间的直接关系。儿童早期阅读水平在学前阶段不断提高,而且其发展也有一定的连续性。     

Spiritual practices children understand: an analysis of Madeleine L’Engle’s fantasy,A Wind in the Door

The following essay is a close reading of Madeleine L’Engle’s science fantasy novel, A Wind in the Door, in which young Meg Murry travels first to outer space and then into her younger brother’s ailing cells. The novel is a fine example of high fantasy (also known as heroic fantasy) wherein a humble protagonist is called to a quest to fight a cosmic battle between good and evil. The essay analyzes specific expressions of evil in the novel: impersonality, narcissism, despair and blind empiricism. Meg’s quest demonstrates particular spiritual practices that promote spiritual maturation and the ability to overcome evil: ‘kything’, Naming, deepening and holding. L’Engle portrays these practices in a fresh way that can help both children and adults incorporate them into their day‐to‐day lives. Moreover, there are links between kything and holding and the metta and tonglen, two types of Buddhist meditation. L’Engle affirms children’s innate relational consciousness and presents spiritual practices that are relational, non‐sectarian, practical, and eminently hopeful.