Aging and Spirituality: Spiritual Dimensions of Aging Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy [Library Binding]

David O. Moberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0789009382 | ISBN-13: 978-0789009388 | Edition: 1

Explore the spiritual dimensions of aging through science, theory, and practice!

During the later years of life, many people devote energy to a process of spiritual awakening and self-discovery. Yet their family, friends, clergy, and the helping professionals who work with them are not always prepared to understand or deal with the spiritual concerns of their clients. Aging and Spirituality provides a unique, far-reaching overview of this long-neglected field.

Divided into four independent but interwoven sections, this landmark book covers the spiritual realm with scientific rigor and deep human understanding. Aging and Spirituality comprehensively surveys the issues of spirituality, from the groundwork of basic definitions to detailed assessments of the role spirituality plays in the lives of the elderly and suggested directions for further research. This book's unique approach combines scholarly research and practical nuts-and-bolts suggestions for service delivery. By drawing from many disciplines and professions, it offers fresh perspectives to even those practitioners already familiar with the most effective spiritual techniques their own field can offer.

Aging and Spirituality answers such common questions as:

• What are the spiritual needs of people later in life?
• Is there any solid evidence that prayer changes things?
• How is spirituality related to physical and mental health?
• Does spirituality matter when people know they are dying?
• How can we measure spiritual wellness and assess the outcomes of activities intended to enhance it?
• Will attention to spirituality aggravate or alleviate the losses--of friends, family, health, youth--that so often occur during old age?

Aging and Spirituality provides a much-needed resource for health care professionals, clergy, social workers, and counselors working with geriatric clients. By integrating spiritual issues into the theoretical framework of social gerontology, Aging and Spirituality will help you understand the scientific foundations, practical applications, and public policy implications of spirituality for older adults.

Editorial Reviews

Review

AN IMPORTANT TOOL. . . . I recommend this book to all health professionals, well-informed elders and denomination leaders, and politicians. -- Elisabeth McSherry, MD, MPH, National VHA DSS Deputy Director of Data Systems/Development; Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Community and Family Health, Dartmouth Medical School

Product Details

• Library Binding: 280 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (May 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789009382
• ISBN-13: 978-0789009388
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,182,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Overview of the Topic that Fosters More Inquiry, May 1, 2005

By 

Carla Libby Gentry "Pastor and Social Geronto... (Lee's Summit, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aging and Spirituality: Spiritual Dimensions of Aging Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (Paperback)

Aging and Spirituality is an edited book and some chapters are stronger than others because there are various authors. The chapters can and do stand alone, so this book can easily be used as a reference by many different practitioners. As an editor Moberg does a good job making sure that each chapter is written coherently and the material has an internal integrity. As a pastor, I found the scholarship to be of high caliber and those scholars who quoted scripture did so with a level of knowledge that provided fuel to the discussion and maintained the integrity of the scriptural context.

The Editor in Chief of Haworth Pastoral Press states in the Foreword that the text is written from an interfaith perspective. On one level this is true but on another level this statement is a gross understatement. The reason that this may be a gross understatement is twofold. 1) there is a very limited amount of work in the field of aging and spirituality that is not done from a Christian or Judeo-Christian perspective and 2) interfaith is more than just the mere mention of another religious tradition different than the dominant tradition of the author. Interfaith work is new in and of itself in the ecumenical movement so the addition of an interfaith perspective to an emerging field is not to be expected and is not present at the level that the series editor implies. There are some chapters and elements in this book that touch on interfaith issues, but not at the depth to call itself an interfaith text.

This book provided this student with a good window into the research that has been conducted in the area of spirituality and aging. I found it especially helpful that this book was not exclusively focused on health care, which is where most of the work in the area of spirituality and aging has been conducted. The greatest contribution that this book makes to the field of gerontology is the breadth and depth of the material presented that should encourage and foster future inquiry. The stand alone chapters can be used by individual practitioners and taken together the book summarizes what has been done and points future scholars to what needs to be done in the future. It cannot be noted strongly enough that this book combines theory, research, practice issues, and even policy history and recommendations. This book offers professionals in aging a little bit of everything with regards to aging and spirituality and is a good basic resource for this reason. If think this book is an excellent primer or baseline text on the topic of Aging and Spirituality and plan to recommend it to others.

A common theme throughout the books is the importance of spiritual well-being and the complexities involved with defining that, researching it, and providing good spiritual care to elders. The editor and authors of each chapter present their findings in easily accessible ways and provide the reader with places to go for more information. In this manner this book is an excellent research tool for those interested in the topic of spirituality and aging.

I would recommend this book to anyone, pastor, social worker, physician, nurse, or scholar, who is looking for a detailed overview on the research that has been conducted in the field of aging.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars spirituality, aging and scientific research, November 3, 2006

By 

Jorge R. Sanchez (PR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aging and Spirituality: Spiritual Dimensions of Aging Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (Paperback)

Excelent for the investigation and understanding of the subject matter from the standpoint of the spiritual-religious realm as well as from the the scientific research. Sound theorical, scientific and practical approach to the themes of spirituality and the elderly people, with the sociological-political and caring implications, very relevant for the reality of an aging population with extended longevity (to be increased with the baby-boomers). Also relevant in a postmodern era of spiritual awakening.