A RELIGIOSIDADE E A ESPIRITUALIDADE COMO FORÇA E SENTIDO À VIDA EM IDOSOS INSTITUCIONALIZADOS

Abstract

Religiosity / spirituality is part of the history, culture, formation and maintenance of bonds of the elderly. Religiosity / spirituality connects the person to the sacred, transcendent, mystical and the collective promoting the increase of faith and resilience. In this understanding, religiosity / spirituality can help the elderly person to better accept the institutionalization process, facing adversity, as well as giving meaning to life. The study aimed to verify how much religiosity / spirituality gives meaning to life and strength to face life's difficulties. Cross-sectional study with 122 elderly people out of a total of 478 elderly people residing in Long Term Care Institutions for the Elderly (ILPI), in municipalities in southern Brazil. Individuals aged 60 or over, regardless of sex, were included, who scored on the Mini Mental State Examination scores, according to schooling, residing at the LTCF. The institutionalized elderly in 98.4% are followers of religion. White color predominates, marital status without a partner, education from 1 to 8 years and 90.67% of the elderly receive visits from family, friends and acquaintances. Most institutionalized elderly people have a religion. The elderly aged 80 and over considered religiosity / spirituality as an element of strength to face the difficulties of life and give meaning to life. Long-lived elderly people have greater needs for religiosity / spirituality and consider religious beliefs and practices to be important, using them to give strength to face life's difficulties and as a resource for the meaning of life.