Role of Religiosity and Spirituality in Lives of Elderly living in Ashrams

Background/ purpose: The study aims to derive a preliminary understanding of the life of elderly living in religious ashrams through a qualitative inquiry determining the role of religiosity and spirituality in coping along with exploring the older people’s perception about their age, daily activities, problems and their adaption with the age. The study also put a great emphasis on the coping strategies employed by old people to achieve wellbeing in their life. The lens of a qualitative approach called Existential Phenomenology is used as theoretical ground which focuses on concrete human existence, comprising of individual’s experience of free choice and action in real life situations and believe people to be a part of a constant process of meaning making as they move from one situation to another. Method: The sample for the present research is ۱۶ elderly participants (age range ۶۰-۸۵ years) comprising of ۷ females and ۹ males residing in religious ashrams of Uttar Pradesh (India). The data is collected using a semi structured interview schedule that assessed the lives of elderly on different domains including perception of old age, problems of old age, social relations, resiliency, religious and spiritual support and coping. Results: The findings showed that the ashram inhabitants though believed old age to be an age of physical declination but found it to be a path towards peace and growth. They displayed happiness in independent living, found safety, stability and meaning in devoting life to God. They built new healthy social relations on the ground of religious spiritual inclination but also claimed positivity and peace in solitude. Residents also reported experience of development of spirituality in them and believed service to God is the apex purpose of one’s life. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it was concluded that elderly who faced difficult times in their life found peace and stability under the shelter of God and hence, presented the utility of spirituality and religiosity among older population.

Keywords:

Elderly , Religious Ashram , Spirituality , Religiosity , Coping