Religious Influences on Health and Well-Being in the Elderly

The purpose of this book is to explore key dimensions of religion that are thought to exert a positive influence on the health and well-being of older people. Among the key facets of religion that are examined are church attendance, prayer, religious coping, and forgiveness. In addition, special attention is devoted to the influence of religion over the life course as well as important issues involving race and religion in late life. Within each area, experts discuss important research findings and identify new directions for research in the future. This volume is noteworthy for several reasons. First, it is one of only a handful of books that are devoted specifically to religion and health in later life. Second, and more important, the chapters are written by widely recognized experts who played a major role in shaping thefield. These experts are not writing about the field alone - they are the field.