A Conceptual Framework for Assessing the Spiritual Functioning and Fulfillment of Older Adults in Long-Term Care Settings

ABSTRACT

The 1971 White House Conference on Aging asserted that all persons are spiritual, and that the spiritual well-being of older adults is a significant area of concern for both researchers and practitioners. Many attempts have been made to define and describe spirituality, using instruments designed to measure religious functioning and behavior. While these have been helpful to researchers, they have been of little practical use.

This paper presents a conceptual framework for the operationalization of the variable, “spirituality.” Using this framework, the authors chose three qualitative research questions related to spiritual values which were asked of both older adults and service providers. The results were factor analyzed and an instrument was developed which enables the practitioner to assess the type of spiritual functioning and fulfillment desired by older adults in long-term care settings.