Elders today have lived active and engaged spiritual lives. Some have participated in religious and spiritual movements that had a profound impact on them. Each of these spiritual and religious experiences and practices have strengths and have supported people in their lives in different ways. Each almost certainly has pitfalls that may cause spiritual challenges later in life.
This blog is an opportunity to discover ways and means to meet elders where they are in their spiritual and religious development and use the power of these tools they have built for themselves. It is hoped that we can and will use cognitive patterns, values and beliefs that support or raise their level of well-being. Also, to help elders overcome challenges inherent in their spiritual and religious life that may hobble them on this path.
Our current culture is currently critical of or cautious about spirituality. Religion has been used recently by some to justify self-righteous condemnation and hate. This results in a concern about religion and such distancing comments from some people as, "I am spiritual but NOT religious." This blog is not intended to criticize those who find the state of religion today difficult or those who find no rational reason for faith in a God or higher power. Rather it is hoped this will be a place where those who serve elders today can approach and assist them to achieve what these elders believe to be their highest practicable well-being including their spirituality.
The OBRA legislation of 1984 in the US, requires staff of residential care facilities to provide services, activities, care and an environment that offers residents the chance to achieve the highest practicable level of psycho-social well-being. This includes spiritual well-being, but often this can be difficult for staff in care plans, reviews with state surveyors and in creating appropriate programs and services. This is often left to the chaplain(s) of a facility and not integrated into the care at a facility. The only time this seems to happen for clients is at end-of-life hospice care.
To approach this, this blog will focus on research and surveys of elders, the history of religious beliefs and movements in the USA that may impact elders today, and discussion techniques, strategies, care plans and practices that seem to support elders in using their spirituality and religion to live better lives.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
This blog will work best if you comment on the subject matter with the intention of adding value, moving the conversation in a productive direction. In you comment, you might try answering the question: What is missing that might make a difference to readers?