Spiritual assessment in aging: a framework for clinicians

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Clinical Psychology
• Social Work

Background:

• Helping professionals often lack structured methods for assessing spirituality in older adults beyond basic inquiries.
• Existing literature defines spirituality and religion but lacks practical assessment frameworks for positive or negative integration in older adults' lives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a comprehensive framework for spiritual assessment tailored to older adults.
• To equip social workers and helping professionals with practical tools for deeper spiritual inquiry.

Main Methods:

• Identification and explanation of eleven distinct domains within spirituality for assessment.
• Inclusion of sample interview questions and a case vignette to illustrate application.
• Development of a rationale for each domain's inclusion in the assessment framework.

Main Results:

• A structured eleven-domain framework for spiritual assessment in older adults has been identified.
• The framework offers explanations, rationales, and practical interview questions for each domain.
• An illustrative vignette demonstrates the application of the assessment framework.

Conclusions:

• The eleven-domain framework serves as a valuable resource for spiritual assessment with older adults.
• This framework can enhance the ability of helping professionals to understand the role of spirituality in the lives of older adults.
• Further integration of this framework can improve person-centered care for older adults.