The role of religion in mediating the transition to residential care

The move from independent domicile to residential care can be a traumatic experience for the elderly. This study investigated the mediatory role of the individual's religious and spiritual beliefs on coping with this transition. A self-report survey design was used, and questionnaires were administered to 50 individuals who had entered residential care within the previous 12 months. The analyses showed that scores on a life satisfaction scale were significantly and positively correlated with those from a spirituality measure ( p = .033), from a faith in nature and humanity scale ( p = .001), and from an instrument to measure the use of religion as a coping measure ( p = .004). Contrary to the hypotheses, there were no such significant relationships with measures of either organised or non-organised religion. The relationships between variables were further explored through a path analysis. The findings pointed to the benefits of a more personal and subjective belief system than a formal one. We concluded that it is important for all those who work with the elderly to acknowledge and recognise the role that religious and spiritual beliefs may have as a coping mechanism during stressful times.