Spirituality and Personal Well-Being in Old Age

Abstract

ABSTRACTIt is argued that a spiritual outlook on life may help elderly people to cope constructively with the vicissitudes of life. Many persons who are now in late adulthood and old age developed a relationship with a transcendent reality. This relationship is a core element of their global personal well-being. This paper briefly elaborates some thoughts about the relationship between personal well-being and spirituality in old age. Six themes are focused upon: I. personal well-being as a subjective experience of evaluation; 2. psychological, physical, social, material, cultural and existential well-being as components of global personal well-being; 3. religious or humanistic spirituality; 4. a life enhancing relationship with a transcendent reality in old age; 5. spirituality and spiritual growth require self-care and social support; 6. some possible lines of research.