Spirituality and You

August 2022

To my “Elderhood,” Community: Did you know that there are health benefits of having a strong faith? A spiritual connection can boost seniors’ wellness, especially when their senior living community supports their faith practices.

Spirituality is a significant part of many people's lives and can become even more important as we grow older. A study by the University of Chicago found belief in God tends to increase with age, especially for those older than 68. Luckily for these spiritual seniors, faith practices come with a host of health benefits.

For example, spirituality can improve the quality of life for seniors with dementia. According to International Psychogeriatrics, practicing religion can help slow cognitive decline and reduce or stabilize cognitive disorders. The use of spirituality in daily life enables those with dementia to preserve relationships, maintain hope and find meaning.

Another benefit of spirituality is the strong sense of community that is at the heart of most faith groups. People form and strengthen relationships through their faith, whether it’s by attending group services or just praying with a friend.

Opportunities for social interactions are especially important to seniors, who are at risk of becoming isolated as they age. Staying social reduces loneliness and depression and can also potentially reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems, Alzheimer’s disease, and some cancers.

These social bonds can be particularly comforting during difficult times. Many seniors must cope with the loss of a spouse or loved one. Others might be grappling with their illness or mortality. Faith can provide a support system for handling these tough issues.

Spirituality means different things to different people. Religion and faith might be part of someone’s spirituality, but spirituality isn’t always religious. Everyone has spiritual needs throughout their lives whether they follow a religion or not. In her book, “Soul Support: Spiritual Encounters at the End of Life,” Joan Paddock Maxwell indicates that there are five ways or means to experience spirituality. 

One can experience spirituality through (1) religion; (2) deep personal relationships with spouse, children, and grandchildren; (3) nature, like watching a sunset, smelling flowers, being in the woods, or being in the water; (4) things of beauty created by human hands such as paintings, novels, poetry, dance, music, astronomy, mathematics, science and philosophy; and (5) the soul or the spirit with (The soul is the body’s internal engine and the spirit is the internal driver).

Spiritual needs may include:

• The need for meaning and purpose in our lives.
• The need to love and feel loved.
• The need to feel a sense of belonging
• The need to feel hope, peace, and gratitude.

We as individuals do different things to meet these spiritual needs, depending on what’s important to us. Some people do things within their religion such as prayer or going to a religious meeting. For other people, it could be being with friends and family, spending time in nature, work, or hobbies.

As we age, transitioning out of our careers and moving past the years when we’re most needed as parents, it becomes extremely import to find new ways of engaging, exploring, and encouraging others. Research is showing that spirituality can play a part in helping seniors’ wit healthy, positive aging by providing a sense of structure and understanding for our lives. Connecting to something larger than ourselves, serving others, and thing beyond our own situation van truly improve the quality of our days.

A supportive community is essential as we age. Seniors with spiritual support gain access to the rich community that characterizes faith groups. Pursuing connections and investing in relationships, new and old, makes every day worth celebrating. By attending worship services, joining book or Bible studies, and sharing opening conversations with other members of our faith, we form and strengthen relationships that enhance our lives – and when a senior living community supports and encourages religious involvement, the social benefits spread throughout the community.

Faith and hope contribute to positive outlook on life. Seeing challenges arise in our life and the lives of the people we love can be difficult to manage. How we handle those challenges, and main a sense of hope in the face of them, has big implications for  our health in later years. Spirituality and religion can provide a strong support, lifting our spirits when we need it most. Connecting to faith gives seniors a mental boost to cope with illness and loss and helps them maintain the positivity that leads to recovery and new beginnings.   

An energized brain will benefit you greatly. Keeping our brains active and engaged as we age is hugely important, and spirituality provides a jolt to our brainpower. Studies have shown that practicing religion helps to slow cognitive decline, and for seniors living with dementia and other forms of memory loss, it can help reduce or stabilize cognitive disorders. Improving our mental capacity means improving every aspects of our life, from our health to our relationships and daily activities.

As a member of “Elderhood,” aging in place as a late bloomer my brainpower and spiritual practices are overflowing. I continue to be engaged in work that is rewarding and fulfilling (parttime bereavement counselor and Sunday morning chaplain). I’m an evolving writer. I ventured into writing workshops early in COVID and that practice has continued. I’, currently participating in a memoir writing workshop and I will delve into a six-month intensive memoir writing workshop this fall will be the stepping stones into a manuscript for publication in 2023.

I’m an avid bridge player, and I play daily which stimulates my brain and invigorates the competitive side of me. My spiritual live is enhanced by connectiveness to service with others. I serve as a spiritual guide to women and in order to be effective I read, pray and meditate as a daily practice.

This blog is dedicated to my late daughter Kimberly Durham Bates.