Spirituality as Perceived by Older Adults: A Qualitative Study in the Philippines

Abstract

Background: Spiritual Healthcare and Spiritual Nursing Care are emerging fields. Spirituality is a complex and abstract subject with many perspectives and its meaning may vary for different people. To appreciate it better, it is necessary to look more deeply on how the relationship manifests itself among older adults.
Aim: This qualitative, multiple case study sought to establish and analyze how older adults viewed spirituality.
Methods: A total of 12 adults aged 60 and up with various socio-demographic profiles from four cities in the southern Philippines were assessed using semi-structured interviews to determine their perspectives on the concept and understanding of Spirituality. The collected information was then subjected to thematic analysis.
Findings: In describing spirituality, four themes emerged: 1) transpersonal spirituality: experiencing the transcendent nature of God in one’s own life; 2) interpersonal spirituality: experiencing spiritual connectedness with others; 3) intrapersonal spirituality: experiencing spiritual connectedness of one’s inner self; and According to the findings, spirituality is influenced by a variety of factors and can take on different meanings depending on one's life circumstances.
Implications: This study contributes to an understanding of the role that spirituality plays in the life of older adults. Such understanding is important for nurses and other healthcare practitioners interested in the provision of holistic care in the context of gerontology.
Keywords: Spirituality, older adults, qualitative study, multiple case study, Philippines