Spirituality in old age as dynamic aging task - Kölner UniversitätsPublikationsServer

Janhsen, Anna, Golla, Heidrun, Romotzky, Vanessa ORCID: 0000-0002-5765-692X and Woopen, Christiane ORCID: 0000-0002-7148-6808 (2019). Spirituality in old age as dynamic aging task. Z. Gerontol. Geriatr., 52 (4). S. 359 - 365. Springer. ISSN 1435-1269

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DOI:10.1007/s00391-018-1391-y

Abstract

Background. A multitude of studies have demonstrated a positive effect of spirituality for dealing with difficult situations in life; however, specific studies on spirituality in older age are exceptionally rare within the German gerontological research landscape. The theory of gerotranscendence by Tornstam indicates that spirituality is of particular importance for maintaining life satisfaction especially in older age, due to a change in perspective. Objectives. This study looked into the research questions of how spirituality is presented in the oldest old (80 years and older) in Germany and to what extent its characteristics are specific to older age. Material and methods. Problem-centered interviews were conducted with 20 oldest old subjects and evaluated using qualitative content analysis. Results. Spirituality in itself is not specific to very old age. Its shaping, however, as an existential process of transformation and redefinition, is specific in the oldest old due to their socialization and biographical experiences over the life course impregnated by processes of subjectification and individualization. In addition, its relation to existential questions gains increasing relevance and priority in very old age in an affective, reflective and performative dimension, and the answers change between fragility and continuity. Conclusion. As a heterogeneous (intermediate) result of experiences over the life course against the background of socialization and individual existential interpretation of Self and World, spirituality in the oldest old should be perceived in this diverse and dynamic manner in research and practice, in order to foster well-being in old age.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Creators:

Creators	Email	ORCID	ORCID Put Code
Janhsen, Anna	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Golla, Heidrun	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Romotzky, Vanessa	UNSPECIFIED	orcid.org/0000-0002-5765-692X	UNSPECIFIED
Woopen, Christiane	chwoopen@uni-bonn.de	orcid.org/0000-0002-7148-6808	UNSPECIFIED