What gives a frail and isolated or institutionalised older person their sense of wholeness and self? What makes later life meaningful? This clear and practical text presents much-needed guidance for health and social care practitioners, as well as for religious professionals, seeking to identify and meet the spiritual needs of older people in their caring role. Drawing on in-depth interviews with older people, Elizabeth MacKinlay, an experienced nurse and chaplain, develops an understanding of spirituality that enables the reader to explore the spiritual dimension of ageing and to learn how it contributes to well being and health in later life. This accessible and inspiring book will be a useful text for students, trainers and academics, policy makers and practitioners in health and social care, as well as religious professionals, in hospital, residential and other caring settings.

Author Biography

Elizabeth MacKinlay is Senior Lecturer at the School of Nursing, University of Canberra. She is inaugural director of the Centre for Ageing and Pastoral Studies, and having worked as university chaplain as well as nurse, she is now also an honorary priest of the Anglican church of the Good Shepherd, Curtin, ACT.