Attitudes toward healthcare are often shaped by religious and spiritual beliefs, including among older adults from racial and ethnic minority communities. Many rely on faith to navigate aging, influencing how they interpret health, illness, and interactions with medicine. Guided by an intersectional framework, this qualitative study explores how race, religion, spirituality, age, and healthcare experiences intersect among older adults from racialized communities. Using a phenomenological approach, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged 50+ who identified across diverse religious and non-religious (e.g. Jewish, Christian, atheist) and racial backgrounds (e.g. Indigenous, East Asian, Black). Interviews explored personal beliefs, spiritual journeys, experiences of aging, and views on science and healthcare. Findings revealed three key themes: (1) the complex relationship between ethnic identity and spiritual expression, with some describing assimilation and others reclaiming cultural traditions; (2) spiritual communities as both sources of support and sites where systemic failures in culturally responsive healthcare were evident; and (3) aging as a catalyst for spiritual reflection, where awareness of mortality deepened meaning-making and sometimes highlighted tensions between scientific and spiritual worldviews. This research offers a preliminary understanding of how overlapping (non)religious and racial identities shape older adults' experiences of aging, resilience, healthcare, and systemic barriers.
The global demographic shift towards an aging population has prompted increased interest in the psychosocial and spiritual resources older adults draw upon to navigate later life. This study explores the lived spiritual experiences of Filipino adults aged 50 and older, focusing on how they employ spiritual coping strategies in response to aging-related challenges and how these practices facilitate a shift toward gerotranscendence. By integrating Pargament's theory of religious coping and Tornstam's theory of gerotranscendence, the study employs a phenomenological approach to capture how spirituality functions as both a coping mechanism and a developmental transition toward peace, wisdom, and transcendence. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 Filipino adults aged 50 and older, exploring their experiences with spiritual coping, changing values, and the influence of Filipino cultural values such as pananampalataya (faith) and family-centeredness. Findings highlight that spirituality initially served as a means of coping with stress, providing emotional regulation and meaning-making in the face of health decline and family disruptions. Over time, spiritual practices evolved into a pathway for transcendence, marked by greater acceptance, surrender, and redefined identity. Filipino cultural values, such as the transition from active problem-solving to trust in divine will, framed this shift from coping to gerotranscendence. These findings offer valuable insights for practitioners, underscoring the importance of addressing both the coping and developmental aspects of spirituality in aging care.
This qualitative study explores religiously informed understandings of aging among older Muslim Melayu women in southern Thailand's Pondok institutions. Data from focus groups (n = 54) and interviews (n = 12) across three provinces showed aging was linked to physical decline, work cessation, and spiritual preparation, often beginning at 48-55 years. Findings illustrate how Continuity, Activity, and Disengagement theories intersect within these faith-based settings. Pondoks provide a culturally congruent, low-cost alternative that facilitates spiritual activity and identity continuity for women relying on minimal state subsistence allowances. While filial gratitude remains a core imperative, residential choices are increasingly mediated by economic precarity and shifting family capacities. The study underscores a critical need for integrated policy models that bridge the gap between traditional spiritual care and formal health support systems to ensure dignity and well-being for marginalized older populations.
As Indonesia experiences rapid population aging without a formal national framework for older adult day care, community-based initiatives such as Rumah Kasih Sayang (RKS) have become vital supports for later-life well-being. This study examines the services offered at RKS and analyzes how these contribute to older adults' physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. Using an inductive qualitative design and reflexive thematic analysis, interviews were conducted with service providers and older adults. Findings show that RKS represents a distinct spiritual care model that extends beyond established physical, psychosocial, and mixed approaches to day care. Structured religious practices including Qur'anic recitation, dhikr (ongoing remembrance) and communal worship operate alongside exercise, health monitoring, recreation, and vocational work to form an integrated care system. These services function through interconnected embodied, social, and spiritual pathways, supporting improved mobility, greater emotional stability, reduced loneliness, strengthened relational bonds, and deepened spiritual peace and acceptance. Spiritual engagement emerged as a central coping resource that facilitates meaning-making. This study offers new empirical and conceptual insight into how spiritually informed day care can foster holistic flourishing among older adults and provides a culturally grounded model for supporting aging in place within religious communities.
This study aims to examine the experiences of aged clergy in Nigerian Christian churches. There are several studies on clergy retirement; however, a study that examines the experiences of older clergy in Nigeria and the impacts of forced retirement on aged clergy in Nigeria is scarce. This is a qualitative method using a phenomenological approach. The data was collected using key informant interviews (KII) and relevant academic literature. The 20 participants were in the age range of 71-85 years. The age bracket was chosen because most of the clergy are forced to retire after 70 years. The participants were recruited through a purposive sampling method. The data was analysed using the Colaizzi method. Emerging themes include i) experiences of aged clergy in Nigeria and ii) implications for church leadership, pastoral care, and institutional sustainability. The forced retirement of old clergy in Nigeria has an impact on the church and the retiree. The problem is that the secular is being brought into the spiritual. There is a need for various churches to review their policy on retirement, such as not relegating the spiritual benefits that the aged bring to church development.
This study investigated associations between religiousness and spirituality with memory and executive function among cognitively unimpaired older Black and White adults. We examined data from the Aging Brain Cohort (ABC) at The University of Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Disease Research Center from 2021 to 2022. Participants who reported higher spirituality but not religiousness had better memory but not executive function, controlling for age, education, sex, and social interaction. Greater spirituality was associated with better memory among older Black and White Americans in this sample, informing a greater understanding of the underlying connection between spirituality and cognitive health.
Spousal death usually leads to social, emotional, economic, and health breakdown. This is worrisome in Nigeria with respect to older adults consequent upon poor formal care systems. The study ascertained the roles of church in the care of widowed older adults. Qualitative data were collected from 28 widowed aged 60 and above using Focus Group Discussion and In-depth Interview. The data were analysed thematically. Church-based organizations are not inactive in supporting widowed older adults rather these individuals are coerced to make financial contribution amidst numerous challenges. Church leaders are urged to prioritize the care of widowed older adults.
'Spiritual growth' is a transformative and profoundly enriching life endeavor that significantly impacts an individual's perspective and personal well-being. It often involves deepening one's spiritual faith, such as in Buddhism, where a connection with Buddha's teachings provides hope, aspiration, optimism, and resilience. These qualities contribute to a positive outlook, underscoring the role of spiritual growth in well-being. While often emphasized in later life, not all older individuals seek such development. Research suggests that many older adults explore spirituality as they confront existential questions associated with aging. We argue that spiritual growth, which reflects an enhancement or deepening of one's spiritual faith, should be a key educational goal. Based on our work in life and death education through Eastern philosophy, we propose a broader understanding of spirituality beyond the traditional relationship between an individual and a divine being (e.g. God or Buddha). We introduce 'spiritual context', a framework encompassing a broader, non-physical system that supports growth. This context includes transcendent and trans-mystical experiences, allowing individuals to explore their inner selves and interconnectedness. A central question remains: how can we effectively facilitate spiritual growth, especially in aging? We propose that life and death education provides a valuable framework. By addressing existential themes and encouraging introspection, such education helps individuals, particularly seniors, deepen spiritual awareness, broaden faith, and embrace a holistic view of life's purpose and meaning as they navigate the complexities of aging.
Ageing causes complications, especially with chronic diseases like cancer. Long-term care for older cancer patients causes care burden. Resilience factors are essential for coping with adversity. The current study sought to establish a relationship between spirituality and altruism as predictor variables of caregiver resilience and context of care as a moderating variable. The study was conducted using quantitative research design. Data was collected from 305 family caregivers from four hospitals using convenient sampling techniques. By using Model 1 in PROCESS Macro, the results indicated spirituality and altruism have positive and significant effects on caregiver resilience within the context of care as a moderating variable.
Disparities in relational stressors highlight the need to understand how older African Americans establish enduring romantic relationships. The current study examined the association between religious-based romantic relationships and communal coping among married and cohabiting older African American couples. Participants were 194 African American couples wherein both partners were at least 50 years of age or older. Participants completed measures assessing religion within their relationship and communal coping, and data were evaluated using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model. Men’s religious-based relational views were associated with their own communal coping and the communal coping of their female partner. Higher levels of religious-based views among men contributed to more frequent experiences of communal coping in their romantic relationship. There were no significant effects between women’s religious-based relational views in association with either women’s or men’s communal coping. Results indicate that men who perceive their romantic relationship as having religious-based significance may be more likely to engage in communal coping and more likely to benefit from their partner’s communal coping. These findings can be used to inform efforts designed to improve the relational bonds within romantic older African American relationships.
This study explores the understanding of wellbeing among older Catholic priests and nuns belonging to Catholic religious orders. Reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with seven priests and four nuns revealed a holistic concept of wellbeing encompassing physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions, shaped by religious beliefs and practices. Despite age-related decline, participants exhibited acceptance, a sense of purpose, and engagement aligned with God's will. Belonging to a religious order fostered social connections and fulfilled physical needs, contributing to overall wellbeing. The findings highlight the significant role of religious beliefs and practices in shaping holistic wellbeing in later years.
Severe symptoms and death anxiety can be experienced in heart failure. Religious coping can be effective in managing these problems. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 260 elderly persons with HF in T & uuml;rkiye. The aim of the study was to examine the relationships between symptom status, death anxiety, and religious coping in elderly persons with HF. It was found that the symptom status, death anxiety, and negative religious coping levels of the persons were moderately high, while their positive religious coping levels were high. Positive correlations were found between symptom status and death anxiety, between symptom status and negative religious coping, and between death anxiety and negative religious coping. There were negative correlations between symptom status and positive religious coping and between death anxiety and positive religious coping. In addition, it was found that the predictors of death anxiety were symptom status, positive religious coping, and negative religious coping. Strategies involving religions coping may improve death anxiety and symptom status for patients with HF.
Faith spaces are vital but overlooked forms of social infrastructure that support older adults. They are especially important for marginalized and minoritized groups who may face barriers to mainstream services. While Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC) initiatives aim to develop supportive environments for ageing populations, they have rarely engaged with faith spaces, despite their role in facilitating community support and informal care. This paper addresses this gap by examining both the existing and potential contributions of faith spaces to the development of AFCC, highlighting how faith spaces currently serve, and could further enhance social support for older adults, particularly those from marginalised and minoritized groups. Drawing on 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork across four faith spaces in Greater Manchester, UK, this study highlights how faith spaces provide practical, emotional, and spiritual support, facilitate intergenerational exchange, and act as gateways to wider community engagement. However, findings also reveal structural inequalities, including disparities in resources between faith communities and exclusions shaped by gender, cultural norms, and racial discrimination. This paper argues that a more strategic integration of faith spaces into AFCC frameworks can enhance the inclusivity the AFCC movement and strengthen support for diverse communities, particularly marginalised groups navigating life transitions.
Self-transcendence can be defined as what goes beyond one's limitations and difficulties in life in order to serve or connect with something greater. Self-transcendence is related to both mental and physical health in older people, so it is important to have instruments to measure it properly. This study analyzes the psychometric properties of Wong's Self-Transcendence Measure-Brief (STM-B) in 333 Spanish older people (142 men and 191 women age-ranged from 65 to 93 years, M = 70.53, SD = 4.60). The STM-B, Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Brief Resilient Coping Scale, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Scales of Psychological Well-Being-Stress Subscale, and Geriatric Depression Scale-15 Items were used. The STM-B showed (1) an acceptable internal consistency, (3) an adequate model-data fit, (4) metric, scalar, strict, and structural invariance across gender groups, (5) not significant gender-related differences in self-transcendence, (6) positive, significant correlationships with presence of/search for meaning, resilient coping, and satisfaction with life, while negative, not significant correlationships with both stress and depression, and (7) not significant differences related to marital status, academic level, and income. The STM-B is a reliable and valid scale for assessing self-transcendence in older people.
This study examined the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and resilience promoting factors in older (65+ years) and younger adults (20-50 years). In September 2020, 304 participants completed an online questionnaire assessing religious coping, social support, resilience, and mental health. Despite no age differences for resilience, younger adults endorsed more psychopathology. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed stress and social support as predictors of resilience for both cohorts. For younger adults, who were more religious, positive religious coping also predicted resilience. These insights can inform interventions targeting stress and promoting social support and positive religious coping in times of crisis.
Nglinggi Village, Klaten, is renowned for its peaceful community, which upholds the value of togetherness or guyub rukun. This study examined the role of older generations in maintaining intergenerational harmony and fostering tolerance through the practice of guyub rukun. Rooted in Javanese traditions, elders serve as custodians of local wisdom, bridging the gap between the younger generations and ancestral customs. Through guidance, examples, and active participation in communal activities, such as gotong royong (mutual cooperation), elders play a crucial role in nurturing social harmony. The integration of local cultural practices with religious teaching further contributes to building an inclusive and tolerant environment that fosters peace in the community. As a result, Nglinggi Village stands as a model peaceful village that successfully preserves its cultural identity while embracing modern changes. This study highlights the important role of the older generations in maintaining traditions that promote social cohesion, unity, and tolerance, thus establishing Nglinggi as a role model for peaceful communities.
