老人靈性健康之開展與模式探詢

Abstract

隨著年紀增長，靈性顯得更為重要。老人有更多時間，思考生命的意義。全人健康的觀點看待個人，健康是整體的，包括生理、認知、情意。靈性健康是一種自我、他人、超自然終極對象之間的和諧狀態，讓人迎向終極目標和有意義生活的實現。本研究目的為探討影響老人靈性健康的重要因素及其展現特質，分析歸納老人靈性健康的發展歷程，藉由建構一套老人促進靈性健康模式，提供高齡者以及相關理論及實務工作者參考。 本研究採用質性研究深度訪談的方式，訪問十三位年逾六十歲的高齡者，七位男性、六位女性，年齡範圍從六十至八十三歲，探究他們靈性健康的開展與模式建構。資料分析採用主題分析及紮根理論編碼原則，反覆閱讀逐字稿後加以歸納分類，直到萃取重要概念，足以回應研究目的與問題。 研究結果發現影響老人靈性健康可分為四大面向，包括（1）生命價值觀、（2）道德倫理觀、（3）宇宙世界觀及（4）全人整合觀。老人靈性健康的發展依四大面向檢驗，第一層面須如實接納自己，做自己真正的主人；第二層面可從服務他人的過程中，提升自我的生命格局；第三層面體會神、佛的無私大愛以及大自然的奧妙，達到究竟的圓滿；第四層面從身心靈全人統整的過程中，活在當下、感恩知足，達到天人合一的境界。 高齡者的靈性健康超越物質層面，回歸自我內在精神世界，擁有平安就是福的喜悅。從時間垂直的生命發展歷程來看，老人的靈性健康必須面對過去、現在和未來三部分的統整，高齡者能夠整合生命任務，在懷舊、寬恕、信心和希望中活出自己。從關係水平軸部分結合四面向，自己與自己、他人、社群、自然、環境及超越者之間的互動關係，靈性健康是一種動態、整合成長的過程。透過生命的歷練和整合，讓高齡者朝向更正面、更有意義的生活。 靈性健康並非恆常不變的狀態，高齡者隨著生命的重大事件以及人生體驗，觀照自己的起心動念，從覺察、反省、轉化、升華的歷程中，走出大我、大愛的生命格局。根據研究結果針對高齡者本身、學術研究以及實務工作，特別是老人教育以及老人教育相關機構提出具體建議。All informants stated spirituality had become more important as the aged and became elderly. In old age, there is more time to think about life and the future. From a holistic view, a person is a whole being. Affective, cognitive, and physical elements are integrated. Spirituality is perceived as a unifying force within individuals; it integrates all other dimensions (physical, mental, emotional, and social) and plays a vital role in determining the state of well-being of the individual. Spiritual health is defined as a harmonious interconnection of self, others, nature, and ultimate other. The spiritual dimension of health is based on 4 aspects: unifying interconnection, innerness, purpose and meaning in life, and transcendence. The purpose of this research is to explore the model and the process of spiritual health for the elderly. Thirteen elderly (7 males and 6 females, age range 60 to 83 years) were interviewed to understand how they fostered their spiritual health. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis (Van Manen, 1997) and grounded theory (Strauss and Corbin, 1997). There are spiritual health dimensions, include: life meaning, social ethic, cosmic transcendence world , and holistic integration. Firstly, elderly should accept himself . Secondly, elderly can do volunteer and service to upgrade their life pattern. Thirdly, elderly achieve transcendence . Fourthly, from the holistic view, elderly can fell here and now, they appreciate what they have. Their spiritual journey was like 4 seasons (Seaward, 2003, 2005); they learned from centering, emptying, grounding, and connecting. Cultivating compassion and gratitude were useful strategies for the elderly in enhancing their spiritual health. Their life meaning was transformed and their spiritual health was enhanced. The spiritual health for elderly is multidimensional. Model of spiritual health reflects harmonious interconnectedness of the major themes of time and relationships. From the time dimension, the elderly should integrate the past, present, and future. For the past, old people should accept what they have done. Spirituality enables elderly persons to reconcile with the past, accept the present, maintain a positive view of life, and achieve life satisfaction. From the relationship dimension, spiritual health is a sense of harmonious interconnectedness between self, others, nature, and ultimate others which exists throughout and beyond time and space. The condition of spiritual health is not always stable, and it is achieved through a dynamic and integrative growth process. The elderly will change and integrate life’s significances and life events, which leads to a realization of the ultimate purpose and meaning of life.