Study: Religious Seniors More Satisfied with Life
Religion plays a significant role in enhancing the quality of life, especially for older individuals, according to a recent study.
The unprecedented longitudinal study conducted by Michele Dillon, professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire, revealed that older adults who are religious have a much better quality of life in old age than nonreligious older Americans. It also found that religious individuals were more satisfied with life even among seniors who are wealthy and in good health.
"For many in the study, their faith provided a strong source of meaning and consolation during illness and other times of adversity," said Dillon in a released statement. "Religious individuals also were more satisfied with life and had a stronger sense of having control over their lives than their nonreligious peers."
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Dillon and her collaborator, Paul Wink, professor of psychology at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, researched the lives of close to 200 men and women who were born in Northern California in the 1920s. They were interviewed in depth during their adolescence, their adulthood and when they were in their mid-70s.
The long-term study found that religious seniors are more involved in social activities such as visiting with family and friends, altruistic community activities and creative activities such as painting and craftwork. They are also more giving and generous towards others, more aware of and sympathetic to the needs of others and more involved in social activism, according to Dillon.
"Religious individuals who believe in an afterlife and who attend church on a frequent basis are less afraid of death than those who believe in an afterlife but who don’t attend church,” Dillon said. “In short, when it comes to warding off fear of the Grim Reaper, an individual’s beliefs must be consistent with their practices – believe in an afterlife and go to church or don’t believe in an afterlife and don’t go to church.”
The highly religious were found to be least afraid of dying. Nonreligious older Americans had a low fear of death as well while moderately religious seniors had the highest fear.
The long-term study further revealed that religious seniors in poor health were buffered against depression because of their religious involvement.
Participants in the study mainly came from mainline Protestant families. Others included Catholics and conservative Protestants. Almost all participants were white and middle class. In old age, most were happily married, in good health, well satisfied with their lives and engaged in a wide range of personal hobbies and social activities.
