The study is designed to explore what it means to live a ‘good life’ or to ‘flourish’ in later life. This study also wants to understand what forms of emotional, pastoral, and/or spiritual care older adults wish to experience as part of ‘living’ and dying ‘well’. This study is particularly interested in older adults who are non-religious or not-traditionally-religious (e.g. this might be those who are spiritual, Pagan, or something else).
The project has 3 elements to it:
Ethnography with local community groups aimed at older adults, or which have a large number of older adult members (over 65). This involves me going along to group sessions over 2-3 months and getting to know members. I will be looking at the forms of support (social, emotional, pastoral and/or spiritual) that happen in these groups and to see what happens in these groups and what sorts of things happen or talked about.
Interviews with older adults (aged 65 and over) who are non-religious or not traditionally religious to understand more about living well in later life and flourishing, as well as what it means to have a 'good death'. I will also be collecting written and visual data from older adults on these topics, asking people to share images of things, objects, or places that bring joy in later life.
Interviews with people who provide care or support, this may be emotional, social, pastoral and/or spiritual care or support for older adults (aged 65 and over) who non-religious or not traditionally religious (e.g. spiritual).
This project investigates how changing religious landscapes impact the spiritual, emotional, and pastoral needs of older adults who are non-religious and how ideas around flourishing and living and dying ‘well’ are shifting.
Traditionally, religious institutions, chaplains, ministers, or other faith-community volunteers provided many pastoral elements of support in older age. However, the shifting religious landscape in the UK towards increasing non-religiosity raises significant questions about what forms of care and support non-religious older adults need and desire – in relation to spiritual, emotional, pastoral, or other forms of well-being. It further raises questions about what it means to live a good life in later life and perceptions of a good death. Literature has suggested many non-religious older adults may be missing out on care and support that religious older adults receive.
What we know about what constitutes a ‘good life’ and ‘good death’ remains under-researched for the rapidly growing numbers of those outside traditional institutional religions. We also know little about how non-religious older adults and those not traditionally religious reflect on their spiritual, emotional, and other pastoral needs in later life in relation to their non-religious worldviews, how these worldviews shape perceptions of what it means to live a good life in old age, and the forms of support that might contribute to living and dying ‘well’.
Through this, I hope to identify not only what the shifting needs and worldviews of older adults mean for how forms of pastoral, emotional, and spiritual support are approached in increasingly non-religious Western societies – but also to advance understanding of changing ethical and cultural values and to deepen understanding of human flourishing and living well in older age.