Differences in religiosity among cognitively intact, mildly cognitively impaired, and mildly demented elderly, and its possible relationship with depressive mood

Measures of religion and spirituality in dementia: An integrative review

Introduction

Literature on the association of religion and spirituality (R/S) and health is growing. However, it is unclear how R/S affects outcomes and is assessed in persons with dementia (PWDs). In this integrative review, we evaluate published R/S measures and synthesize R/S findings for PWDs.

Methods

We searched five databases (ATLA Religion, CINAHL, PsychInfo, PubMed, SocIndex) and identified 14 of 1043 studies for review. We assess the studies' information, quality, measures, and results.

Results

We identified 17 measures for R/S: six were adapted for use with PWDs and only two were validated for PWDs; most studies reported only measures' reliability, with Cronbach's alpha. The studies' findings support significant positive associations between R/S and cognitive function and negative associations between R/S and depression and behavioral expressions.

Discussion

The two validated scales indicated acceptable validity with overall good reliability. Nevertheless, diverse samples and rigorous study designs are needed to improve R/S measures and to examine associations over time for PWDs.

Highlights

Few scales for measuring religion and spirituality (R/S) have been validated in persons with dementia (PWD); additional testing is needed.Most R/S measures only reported scale reliability with Cronbach's alpha.Studies supported positive associations between R/S and health yet few studies exist. conducted.Only one spiritual intervention, spiritual reminiscence, was found for PWD.More rigorous R/S studies are needed to examine health outcomes in dementia.

Equipping Families and Friends to Offer Spiritual Care to People Living with Dementia: Findings from a Meta-Synthesis

Our work presents a meta-synthesis of 76 peer-reviewed, qualitative-research journal articles related to our research interest in the spiritual care training available for relatives and friends of people living with dementia. A total of 244 articles was reviewed prior to the application of selection criteria. The final sample of 2698 research participants across our selection of 76 peer-reviewed qualitative-research studies serves to demonstrate the value of spiritual care as an aspect of holistic palliative and dementia care. The development and implementation of spiritual-care standards and practices in healthcare generally is increasingly widespread. Most current training resources are designed for healthcare professionals, and our meta-synthesis identifies the need for training resources that equip and train volunteer spiritual carers, namely, the relatives and friends of people living with dementia. Our meta-synthesis suggests there is a need to develop training resources that equip relatives and friends with skills that prioritise attentive presence, spiritual intelligence, emotional intelligence, and, primarily, sensory spiritual practices. Beyond this meta-synthesis, developing and trialling suitable training materials and events will become the focus of an action research project.

Designing Worship Services to Support African-American Persons Living with Dementia

The church has played an integral role in the African-American community for a number of years. With the growth in population of African-American older adults living with dementia, it is critical for the church to understand how they can support these individuals in continuing their engagement in meaningful religious activities. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how to design or modify worship services to support African-Americans living with dementia. Interviews were conducted with church leaders, current and former caregivers, and service providers (n = 12). Analysis of their responses revealed worship services should include components in relation to the following categories: "simplicity," "support," "imagery and sound," and "music." Although participants held different views on the delivery of worship services for persons living with dementia, interview results provided key elements on how worship services can be meaningful and supportive of African-Americans living with dementia.