Paperback: £17.95 / $34.95
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1998, 234mm x 156mm / 9.25in x 6in, 196pp
ISBN: 978-1-85302-631-7, BIC 2: HRLK
JKSG
'This book is constructive and optimistic. It is also very nice to read, generally written in an easy style, without loss of scholarly value. The contributors all have close, hands-on professional experience dealing with spiritual and religious issues among the aged. For good measure, a number of contributors proudly claim to be aged themselves. "I write ... just as an old man, now in my eighties", begins Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh (p.32) ... The contributors cover the main religious traditions represented in the UK, with good representation from the main Christian denominations, including Eastern orthodoxy, Catholicism and Quakerism. There is some mention of Judaism. It concludes with a specialist chapter on Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims by Shirley Firth, lavish with both important information and with case material.'
- Journal of Contemporary Religion
'This book is a welcome addition to social care and social welfare texts. The growing awareness of spritual matters and their effects on a person's well-being has parallels in social work ... The contributors to the volume are concerned to address the spiritual needs of all people, regardless of formal belief or religious faith. The relevance of this for social work practice lies in the neglected area of assessing for or even, at times, inquiring about whether a person has spiritual needs. This book challenges social workers to be explicit in recognising, acknowledging and accounting for spiritual needs. The book presents a valuable perspective on issues of death, bereavement and the importance of reconstructing identities by examining the past in the context of the present and the person's experience.'
- Professional Social Work
'Sprituality and Ageing represents a realistic view of the third and fourth ages of life with their physical, emotional and psychological difficulties, their opportunities for reflection, personal growth and development along the road to wholeness. It defines spirituality in a broad sense, embracing the human need for meaning to life, personal identity, relationships and values. Writers challenge the old concept of ageing we find in British culture, and offer ideas which affirm the positive contributions the elderly can make to the human family ... Spirituality and Ageing will be beneficial for a cross-section of people, ministers and care workers who wish to develop a framework of spirituality to minister to the elderly. Those who are in their latter years may also benefit from the insights and spirituality of this material.'
- Methodist Recorder
'... a useful collection of short essays which meets a need in this area hitherto unmet by British publishers. Given the scope and brevity of this book it introduces the reader to a remarkable range of topics from the relevance of Ignatian spirituality to elders, via the assembly of your own memory box, to insights into women's spirituality in the process of ageing... The value of this collection...is both practical and theoretical, for the contributors refer to personal and pastoral experiences as well as formal research...an excellent window onto a field ripe for further harvesting.'
- The Expository Times
'It is a collection of short essays pulled together ... to do two equally important things: to better equip churches in ministering to their ageing congregations; and to urge caring agencies to attend to the spiritual needs of their elderly clients. The editor can be commended for having drawn together a wide range of perspectives.'
- Community Care
'Spirituality and Ageing contains honest grappling, both theological and pastoral, with the issues of dementia, by Malcolm Goldsmith, a parish priest from Edinburgh and also a researcher with the Demential Services Centre at Stirling University. His dual role lends weight to his contribution, which includes his recognition of Alzheimer's sufferers as the new "powerless" for whom the church must work hard to find good news. Professor Phyllida Parsloe of Bristol University writes with authority of the increasing number of old people in community care. She highlights the work of professional social workers: "If we venture into the dangerous territory of helping others, we have a moral responsibility to consider the meaning of our intervention to those who receive our help." She also notes the reluctance of social workers to tangle with spiritual issues, and comments: "There is an important and neglected role here for ministers and congregations". There are excellent articles by two jesuits.'
- Church Times
'Edited by Albert Jewell of Methodist Homes, which sponsored the project, Spirituality and Ageing is intended for the general reader. It is a resource that will fill a gap on our Meeting house shelves.'
- The Friend
'Readers from a Christian background or broadly Christian sympathies therefore will find many helpful insights - Penelope Wilcock on death, Ursula King on gender, Phyllida Parsloe on Community Care. More worthwile in my estimation are some very practical chapters, by Jackie Treetops on reminiscence and Margaret Goodall on worship with people with dementia'.
- Registered Homes and Services
Spirituality and Ageing presents the experience of ageing as an opportunity for spiritual reflection and affirmation of life. The contributors are religious and spiritual leaders and ethical thinkers from a range of different backgrounds. They define 'spirituality' not just as a religious concept but as the fulfilment of the universal human need for purpose, values and relationships - a sense of wholeness in life.
This spiritual dimension helps people face the emotional and psychological challenges of growing older, such as memory loss, dementia, bereavement and fear of death. Existing systems of social care often focus on the material and physical needs of older people; this collection proposes that the spiritual needs of older people are as vital a consideration for their welfare. Through their spirituality, older people can attain a fuller appreciation and understanding of life, which can also inform and enrich the lives of others.
Spirituality and Ageing will be an invaluable resource to carers looking for a holistic and more reflective approach to work with older people.
