Spirituality and Ageing - Life in the Years
Spirituality in aging is not a different spirituality, but a journeyed one, developed in one’s own story and part of the human experience, not exclusively belonging to those in faith groups, but to everyone.
As we grow older and our bodies become less able, and our mind becomes a little duller, it seems our inner person, our 'spirit' has a capsity to sour. It certainly needs taking care of, nurturing, tending and finding news ways of expression. The words - wisdom and well being, seem to sum up this spirituality well.
Particularly important in the development of older people’s spirituality is story, relationship and connection. Those who care for older people, their families and friends can help older people with their spirituality by giving opportunities to experience story, relationship and connection, both in and outside of faith groups, thus ensuring well-being. On a recent hospital visit I witnessed a nurse attend three older people; without speaking to any of them, she observed and adjusted technological equipment and filled in charts. Even though one visit to the bedside was for over five minutes, she did not the person in the bed, it was as if the person did not exist. It is clear she missed the opportunity of conversational interaction that could have included elements of meaning, relationship, making sense and hope. This is not just a missed opportunity to offer basic human dignity, there is also an argument that her actions reversed the ‘process of spirituality’ Mackinley (2001) by denying personhood and disconnecting. The same phenominum occures when carers talk to one another about their own lives and exclude those they care for; missing a wonderful opportunity to co-engage and tend to the whole person. Whilst the nurse’s actions are not typical in health and social care, they represent an extreme in our money driven culture, where social care costs are huge and value is placed on time and function, not on the person. As well as the important functional responcibilities a carer has, home care should also be able to offer the oppertuntity to spend quality time in each others company, building mutual story, offering light in the darkness of lonliness and isolation, offering a glimps of hope for a moment in time, thus caring for the whole person.
The comments attributed it to Abraham Lincoln’s (cited by Dictionary Quotes 2013); ”and in the end it’s not the years in the life that count. It’s the life in the years” somehow give a succinct commentary to what I am trying to say. Those in the third and fourth ages of life whose bodies are wearing and are facing death, understand “life in the years” as the essence of being. That which matters is real personhood and cannot be imprisoned, but needs to be free and transcendent. “life in the years” can grow within the restrictions of the “years of the life”. It is clear from my recent research, albeit only a small sample, that those being ministered and cared for value opportunities to talk about “the life in their years” and we need to give room for this huge part of someones life.
Extract from "Life in the Years' - Gill Isterling - Founder of Premier Community
If you are interested in understanding more about Spirituality in Ageing and the things that are helpful to nurture this process, please feel free to get in touch.
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