Did you know that as we age, our belief in God tends to grow stronger? That’s right: adults over 68 were found to have stronger religious convictions than those who are younger. However, there are also many older adults who consider themselves spiritual without being religious. There’s no doubt that spirituality in your 60s can benefit your overall well-being in many ways. We take a closer look at some of them in this article.
Provides a Support System for Dealing with Grief and Loss
The unfortunate truth is that as we age, we start losing the people around us. Whether that is due to death, physical separation or simply drifting apart with time, living with loss is part of life. A spiritual connection can provide a support system for dealing with grief and loss, providing an understanding of why we feel the way we feel and fulfilling our need for inner peace and comfort.
Be Part of a Community that Shares the Same Outlook
Another big part of spirituality is the strong sense of community you can experience. Whether it’s praying with a friend or attending spiritual gatherings in a group, you become part of a community that shares the same outlook as you do. This can be invaluable during your golden years when you are looking to come to terms with the life you have led and seek forgiveness for the things you have done.
Not only that, being part of a community provides you with the social support you need. Social isolation can lead to devastating consequences for mental and physical health. With a group of people to rally around you and bring you comfort during difficult times, long-term prognoses can be improved.
Encourage a Moving on Towards Resolution and Acceptance
As you approach retirement age and look back on everything you have gone through, you may experience a strong desire to seek resolution and acceptance. One thing we have learned throughout the years is that there are many things not within our control and in order to find inner peace, we have to accept them as they are and move on.
Practicing spirituality can enable you to do just that when you seek a meaning that’s larger than your existence. In addition, spirituality can connect people across faiths and beliefs. Regardless of whether you are part of organized religion, we can all bond over shared values and beliefs that define the human experience.
The Trace Offers a Whole Range of Health Programs
At The Trace, we believe that spirituality can play a big part in our residents’ lives. Whether you have been an adherent of religion all your life or are just starting to discover spirituality in your golden years, our senior living health programs have you covered. Beyond physical and medical health, we take into account our residents’ mental and emotional well-being as well and to this end, you can take part in senior living community events such as spiritual gatherings.
Contact us today to schedule a tour of our senior living community.
