Aging and God: Spiritual Pathways to Mental Health in Midlife and Later Years [Paperback]

William M Clements (Author), Harold G Koenig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 1994 | ISBN-10: 1560244240 | ISBN-13: 978-1560244240 | Edition: 1

This important book examines the relationship between religion and mental health throughout the life cycle, with a special emphasis on later life. It asserts that successful aging is possible regardless of physical health or environmental circumstances, and that religious beliefs and behaviors may facilitate successful aging. Aging and God thoroughly examines the effects of religion and mental health on aging and provides a centralized resource of up-to-date references of research in the field. It focuses on recent findings, theoretical issues, and implications for clinical practice and contains ideas for further research. In Aging and God, you’ll also find information on project design that can help you develop grant applications and carry out studies.

Aging and God is a helpful book for both mental health and religious professionals. It helps mental health specialists better understand the spiritual needs of older adults and the impact that religion can have on facilitating mental health. It also describes how religion can be utilized in clinical practice and integrated into psychotherapeutic approaches to older patients. The book brings religious professionals current knowledge of the major psychological problems that older adults face and how religion can be used to help alleviate these problems.

Full of pertinent information, Aging and God

• addresses theoretical aspects of human development, focusing on cognitive, moral, and religious faith development
• examines situations and disorders of particular concern to older persons and looks at how religion can be used as a resource
•  applies research findings to the problem of meeting the spiritual and mental health needs of elders with chronic or acute health problems
• provides an in-depth look at end-of-life issues such as physician-assisted suicide
  
  Hospital and nursing home chaplains will find this book informative and encouraging, as will gerontologists, hospital administrators, and community clergy faced with increasingly older congregations. It gives mental health professionals new strategies to help improve the later years of older adults, and makes an excellent text for courses on religion, mental health, and aging. Middle-aged and older adults, as well as their families, will also find Aging and God enjoyable and inspiring as they attempt to grapple with the myriad adjustment and coping problems associated with aging.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Koenig (Duke Univ. Medical Ctr.) provides an important and comprehensive study of religion and psychiatry/psychology, especially as they impact on the elderly. Koenig believes that religion is an important and underused resource in helping the elderly live successfully. After examining the relationship between religion and mental health sciences, he discusses human development theories in terms of spirituality. He also explores practical issues, clinical applications, and issues concerned with dying. Comprehensive, humane, knowledgeable, and broad in scope, this book is essential for seminary and medical libraries and highly recommended for public and academic collections as well.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (September 9, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560244240
• ISBN-13: 978-1560244240
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,681,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Koenig completed his undergraduate education at Stanford University, his medical school training at the University of California at San Francisco, and his geriatric medicine, psychiatry, and biostatistics training at Duke University Medical Center. He is board certified in general psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry and geriatric medicine, and is on the faculty at Duke as Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Associate Professor of Medicine, and is on the faculty at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor. He is also a registered nurse. Dr. Koenig is Director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University Medical Center, and has published extensively in the fields of mental health, geriatrics, and religion, with over 350 scientific peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and nearly 40 books in print or in preparation. He is considered by biomedical scientists as one of the world's top experts on religion and health (http://www.biomedexperts.com/Concept.bme/18754/Religion). His research on religion, health and ethical issues in medicine has been featured on dozens of national and international TV news programs (including ABC's World News Tonight, The Today Show and two episodes of Good Morning America), nearly a hundred national or international radio programs, and hundreds of newspapers and magazines (including Reader's Digest, Parade Magazine, Newsweek, Time, and Guidepost). Dr. Koenig has given testimony before the U.S. Senate (1998) and U.S. House of Representatives (2008) concerning the benefits of religion and spirituality on public health, and travels widely to give seminars and workshops on the topic. His latest books are (1) Faith and Mental Health (2005), (2) In the Wake of Disaster (2006), (3) Spirituality in Patient Care (2007), Medicine, Religion and Health (2008), Religion and Spirituality in Psychiatry (2009), Handbook of Religion and Health, Second Edition (Jan/Feb 2012, Oxford University Press), and Spirituality and Health Research: Methodology, Measurement, Analyses, and Resources (2011).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As a person in middle age, this book was very helpful., October 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Aging and God: Spiritual Pathways to Mental Health in Midlife and Later Years (Paperback)

Struggling with my own aging, I found the book helpful in integrating my personal faith into the changes that are occuring while I grow older. I particularly enjoyed the many scripture references which he uses to back up his statements.