Spirituality and religion impact on the quality of life and well-being of seniors living at home
Applicants: Pierre-Yves Brandt (UNIL), Etienne Rochat (CHUV), Zhargalma Dandarova Robert (UNIL), Jörg Stolz (UNIL)
Funding : Fondation Leenaards - Prix Leenaards âge & société 2019
Duration: 01.09.2019 - 31.08.2022
Project collaborators : Laeticia Stauffer, Grégory Dessart, Pascal Tanner
Numerous studies show that the spiritual dimension and religion can offer important resources to cope with changes and challenges in their life but also play an important role in engaging in voluntary work for others, for society and for the environment. The present project is part of the research programme "Spirituality of the Elderly" launched in 2015, which aimed to study elderly people in home care residing (long-term, short-term and assisted living) in two Care Homes for elderly people. This new study aims to investigate the spiritual and religious dimension in the generation of older people still residing at home.
Research questions
- To explore the diversity of forms of religiosity/spirituality and the role of spirituality/religion in the well-being and quality of life of seniors 65+
- To study the possible role of spirituality/religion in older adults' engagement in voluntary work, and more specifically in volunteering with the elderly
- To identify older people’s possible needs and expectations and if institutional or associative elderly care services could be improved with regard to spiritual and religious care.
Study design: a mixed-method approach including quantitative surveys, qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Materials were elaborated by the research team, building upon existing standard questions to fit those two different populations, respectively. For both types of population, a shared ground was reached to allow comparisons.
Population: older people over 65 living at home in the canton of Vaud
- Older people involved in organized volunteering
- Elderly recipients of home care nursing services
For more information, please contact Professor Pierre-Yves Brandt : Pierre-Yves.Brandt@unil.ch
