Reflections in Cultural Anthropology and Religion

Reprinted from BaycrestMatters. Volunteer Profile. January 4, 2012 -- VOL.8, NO.1

Photograph right: Cameron Freeman and Mira Ostrovsky stop for tea in the WA Café before the Kabbalat Shabbat service in the Wintergarden Court. "I don't under- stand a word of Hebrew – I'm not Jewish – so Mira translates everything for me," says Freeman.

Cameron Freeman began volunteering at Baycrest in January 2011 as part of a University of Toronto course he was taking that included a service component. Freeman would come to his "plum job" at Baycrest every Friday to make up his required 40 volunteer hours. His responsibilities were to serve brunch at Café Europa and accompany or help residents to the Oneg and Kabbalat Shabbat services, which is how he met Apotex resident Miriam (Mira) Ostrovsky.

"We go for a walk, then sit for a coffee or tea before the service and candle lighting," Freeman says. Although he met his course requirements and completed his volunteer hours in April, Freeman has continued to visit Ostrovsky every Friday. "The thought of stopping was a problem for me. I've made connections not just with clients, but with the other volunteers and staff as well."

Indeed, Ostrovsky considers Freeman a friend and looks forward to their visits, chastising him for missing a visit or even showing up a few minutes late. "I can talk to him about anything and he will understand. We don't see each other often, but when we do, it's a fulfilling time," she says. Freeman is now approaching 200 volunteer hours and has no intention of stopping. "I look forward to coming here. The generosity of spirit I see all around me at Baycrest renews my faith in humanity; it's my spiritual food."

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What is the relationship between religion in the public sphere and the public good? The Toronto Baycrest Centre for the Aged and Holocaust Survivors is a recognized world leader in brain health. It is the purpose of this position paper to show that Baycrest's application of religiosity on the elderly has positive health benefits, both physically and mentally. Furthermore, religious involvement serves not only to benefit the individual client, but also the volunteer caregivers and the general public.

How does religious involvement affect the health of the elderly clients at Baycrest. As a volunteer, I am involved with three Jewish programs: 1) serving brunch to 150 holocaust survivors; 2) assisting infirm hospital clients at the Oneg Shabbat service, and 3) escorting two elderly Jewish women to the Kabbalat Shabbat service. The clients who attend these programs are Jews suffering from a range of physical and mental aging disabilities. The average age is 80 years or older. Functional disability is an important benchmark of health status in the elderly, and is especially associated with mortality and depression. Moreover, functional disability is an important indicator for projecting active life expectancy or years remaining for independent living. Overall, a study by Idler and Stanislav in 1992, indicated a powerful phenomenon at work. Public religious involvement of the elderly was linked to preservation of life and health, ability to perform basic daily activities, prevent feelings of emotional distress. and even control one's timing of death (Idler, Stanislav 1992:1078). It was found that public religious involvement, not private, showed the greatest cognitive effects. The ritual element of religion and its respective religious symbols, as Durkheim would argue, hold a special power through a concentration of meaning in these public religious rites. Weekly and yearly ceremonies intensify the member's sense of identity within the group. Anticipation and participation in these repeated public rituals, not only "serve to remake individuals and groups morally, they stimulate social and cognitive functioning, connecting the inward-looking act of remembering with the outward physical performance that build a sense of continuity. (Idler, Stanislav 1992:1076). In a paper by Sally Promey: "The Public Display of Religion", this point is reinforced. "Display is truly fundamental to the process of constructing a human reality...Visible religion takes on an active cultural role...public display marks off space for the formation and re-formation of identity...it also stipulates a social arena for configuration and reconfiguration of community" (Promey: 47-48). The public display of religion at Baycrest, as I have observed, stimulates and encourages what it means to be Jewish and as several studies have shown, there is a significant and positive relationship between mental health and the importance of one's faith (Meisenhelder, Chandler 2002:244).

In the March 2011 newsletter, "Baycrest Matters", there is a groundbreaking Bravo study about whether volunteer activities improve older adults' physical, cognitive and psychological function. Senior scientist, Dr. Nicole Anderson and Syrelle Bernstein, director, Volunteer Services at Baycrest noted that volunteering increased physical, cognitive and social activity which helps volunteers preserve their brain health and decrease their risk of dementia. Almost all of the volunteers at the Shabbat services are in their mid-eighties and show a heighened sense of physical and mental awarness and activity. Furthermore, a 2005 study by Michelle Pearce, found that religious beliefs and involvement and religious coping were related to increased caregiving satisfaction. With the trend towards informal outpatient care, longer survival times and reduced health care resources, identifying adaptive coping resources that enable caregivers with an effective means for handling stressful situations associated with elder care is important. The apparent helpfulness of religious coping strategies among caregivers and religion's affect on their health and well-being seems particularly relevant and suggests that religion is an important adaptive coping resource for caregivers.

Lastly, Baycrest's application of religion in the public sphere benefits society as a whole. In her article, "Prison Religion: Faith-Based Reform and the Constitution", Winnifred Sullivan notes that, "Europeans look at their churches with benign benevolence-they are useful social institutions" (Sullivan 2009:3). Furthermore, Michelle Pearce found that "spiritually-sensitive care is integral to a holistic approach to healthcare delivery and well being and is desired by many patients" (Pearce 2005:82). The cost of all three Jewish Programs at Baycrest are offset by the large numbers of volunteer staff. Jason Hackworth's article: "Faith, Welfare, and the City: The Mobilization of Religious Organizations for Neoliberal Ends" would concur that Baycrest's volunteer program provides a way to reduce hospital expenditures and rising health care costs in a way that is in line with neoliberal theory and is mutually beneficial. My own experience as a volunteer has been extremely rewarding. I look forward to my experiences at Baycrest every Friday. It fosters a positive sense of my own well being as well as an attitude of genuine love and caring for others. Everyone involved, including the patients and their families, the volunteers, myself and even my family, friends, and busines clients (thanks to my improved demeanor) benefit from Baycrest's generosity of religous spirit.

Sources:

2002. Chandler, Emily N., Meisenhelder, Janice Bell. Spirituality and Health Outcomes in the Elderly. Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 41, No. 3., pp. 243-252

2010. Hackworth, Jason. Faith, Welfare, and the City: The Mobilization of Religious Organizations for Neoliberal Ends. Urban Geography. Department of Geography, University of Toronto. pp. 750-773.

1987. Idler, Ellen. Religious Involvement and the Health of the Elderly: Some Hypotheses and an Initial Test. Social Forces, Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 226-238

1992. Idler Ellen L., Kasl, Stanislav V. Religion, Disability, Depression, and the Timing of Death. The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 97, No. 4, New Directions in the Sociology of Medicine. pp. 1052-1079

2005. Pearce, Michelle J. A Critical Review of the Forms and Value of Religious Coping among Informal Caregivers. Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 81-118

Promey, Sally M. The Public Display of Religion in The visual Culture of American Religions pp. 27-48

2009. Sullivan, Winnifred Fallers. Prison Religion. Faith-Based Reform and the Constitution. Princeton University. Oxford.

This entry was posted on April 10, 2011 at 8:33 PM and has received 700 views. There are currently 1 comments. Print this entry.

Cultural Anthropologist, Robert Orsi explains that human beings are perpetually caught up in the daily pursuit of cultural creation which periodically gets disrupted by certain occurrences known as cultural "hot spots"-events that do not fit neatly into daily life such as death, pain, sickness and transition. These incidences produce feelings of vulnerability in people, which activate religious beliefs that manifest in religious practices to express what matters most in their world. (Orsi 1993:3) This notion of cultural "hot spots" such as sickness, pain, transition and death are most acute in the elderly. It is the purpose of this literature review paper to explore the question, What effects does religion or spirituality have on the cognitive health of elderly patients and the hospital volunteers and care-givers who work with them.

In the Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 41, No. 3, (2002), "Spirituality and Health Outcomes in the Elderly", it was found that there was a protective factor of religion to health and that religious belief played a role in averting physical and mental health problems. Furthermore, religious commitment helped facilitate coping strategies with illness and recovery. Moreover, religion, in multiple populations, has a positive relationship to psychological well-being and a preventative effect against morbidity (Meisenhelder & Chandler 2002:243). Various studies have also shown a relationship between religiosity and higher self-esteem, lower levels of depression, greater social support, better physical well-being and lower alcohol and drug consumption. Their approach examined the relationship of behavioral measures, such as the frequency of prayer; and attitudinal measures such as, importance of faith and the use of religion in coping with physical functioning, role functioning-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role functioning-emotional, and mental health (Meisenhelder & Chandler 2002:244). Their results found a significant and positive relationship between mental health and the Importance of Faith. Furthermore, a positive relationship was found between mental health and religious behaviours, such as prayer and church attendance. However, these indices could be explained by a more significant factor-Importance of Faith. Overall, their study showed attitudinal measures as the more accurate indices of the association of religiosity and mental health in the elderly (Meisenhelder & Chandler 2002:250).

In a 1982 New Haven, Connecticut study of non-institutionalized elderly residents, Ellen Idler examines patterns of religious involvement, health status, functional disability and depression. Idler draws on classical sociological theories of religion, including Durkheim and Weber. "If the religious institution is considered in the broadest sense as an element of culture, religious involvement becomes an indication of access to a system of symbols which offers patterns for the conduct of personal and social life" (Idler 1987:228). Four hypotheses of religious involvement are explored as possibly having effects on individual health status. The "Health Behaviour Hypothesis" suggests that religious individuals behave differently than nonreligious people when dealing with health risk factors, such as smoking, drinking, eating meat, sexual activities, and regular periods of rest and relaxation. The "Social Cohesiveness Hypothesis" posits that involvement in a religious group provides psychological access to emotional, cognitive, and material support that can nurture an individual's perception of being loved and cared about. The "Coherence Hypothesis" implies that there is a positive relationship between religion and cognitive health. From a Weberian perspective, religious involvement gives access to a unique system of symbols, cultural knowledge and meanings that help individuals understand and cope with their experiences, thus reducing uncertainty. Religious involvement provides two cognitive outcomes on the effects of health: 1) reducing helplessness in the face of an unpredictable situation; and 2) nurturing an attitude of hopefulness that everything will turn out positive. The fourth theory: the "Theodicy Hypothesis" suggests that in marginal situations of human life such as aging and the decline of physical and functional ability, religious involvement acts to modify an individual's distress associated with suffering. For example, the Judeo-Christian traditions offer many interpretive strategies for situations of human suffering. The study concluded that "religiousness is associated with lower levels of both functional disability and depressive symptomatology". However, among the four hypotheses, health behaviour, social cohesiveness, and the coherence, all failed to account for any relationship between better health and religious involvement. Only the theodicy hypothesis had some support (Idler 1987:236). The study showed that access to a religious symbol system seemingly modifies the strong link between disability and depression in the elderly (Idler 1987:237).

The Journal of Religion and Health, Vol 42, No. 4 (2003), "Religion, Spirituality, and Health Service Use by Older Hospitalized Patients", studied how religiosity or spirituality affected a patient's need and use of health care services during acute hospitalization. With rising health care costs, even a small measurable difference on the use of acute hospitalization services could mean substantial savings on expenditures. Studies have shown that chaplain interventions were effective in reducing hospital stays, use of medication and nursing time. Male veterans, undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, were reported to have shorter hospital stays where religious beliefs were indicated. (Koenig, Titus & Meador 2003:302) Another study showed indices, such as religious attendance, self-rated religiousness and religion as a source of comfort had been correlated with longer walking periods for patients discharged with hip surgery. However, other studies have shown no association between religiousness and the length of hospital stay. Perhaps there is a difference between religiousness and spirituality and its affect on health services. Religion defined as a system of beliefs, practices, and symbols designed to facilitate a relationship with a higher power and an understanding of one's relationship and responsibility to a community. Spirituality is defined as a search for answers to the ultimate meaning and purpose of life. It has been hypothesized that spirituality is more individually focused with less involvement in a supportive community thus having a lesser effect on health services, whereas, religiousity has a stronger relationship between social support and health service (Koenig, Titus & Meador 2003:303). Overall, the Koenig, Titus and Meador study findings on the relationship between religiosity and length of hospitals stay and use of hospital services were weak. The relationship between daily spiritual experiences and length of hospital stay has clinical implications. Research does show that patients who believe or feel they are being punished, abandoned or are unloved by God or their faith community have negative health outcomes, such as increased mortality after hospital discharge. Their study suggests that health professionals and chaplains might be helpful by promoting positive spiritual experiences that would affect a patients attitude toward their illness and motivate them toward recovery, thus resulting in earlier discharge and reduced need for health services (Koenig, Titus & Meador 2003:303).

Gary Lea's paper on "Religion, Mental Health, and Clinical Issues" concluded that there are "methodological problems relating to defining religion and mental health" (Lea 1982:347). Furthermore, correlation studies have dominated the research in this area and requires caution in interpreting research data and stresses the need for more experimental methodology because "empirical studies of the psychology of religion is rare" (Lea 1982:347). Furthermore, social scientists have biases towards conservative religion as abnormal and detrimental to psychological functioning, while religionists assume there is a positive association between religion and psychological functioning. However, Lea did make a general statement about the religion and mental health, saying, "religiosity appears positively related to adjustment in the adult population, especially the elderly" (Lea 1982:347).

In a study, "Religion, Social Support, and Health among the Japanese Elderly, researchers noted that world religions exalt the virtues of helping others, but little is known as to the actual benefits of practicing this tenet. Past studies have focused on three issues: 1) support received from coreligious members; 2) support received from strangers; 3) social support and religion with primarily Christian respondents living in Western nations. This particular study focused on those who practiced a mixture of Shinto and Buddhism. Furthermore, the data collected provided a nationally representative sample of elderly Japanese. Also of note, in Japan religious involvement becomes increasingly important with age. Japanese religion encourages older men to provide assistance to their social network. The study showed that those elderly Japanese men who helped significant others tended to rate their own health more positively than those who practiced less with members of their social network.

In another study, " Religion, Disability, Depression, and the Timing of Death" it was found that public religious involvement, defined as "frequent attendance at religious services and active participation in the social life of the congregation", had a strong relationship to improved functional ability, including the ability to perform basic self-care and more strenuous physical performance activities. Furthermore, Idler discovered that the effects of public religious involvement observed after one year had a lasting effect of a least three years. The significance of these findings, from an epidemiology of aging perspective, affect three issues. First, functional disability is an important benchmark of health status in the elderly, and is especially associated with mortality and depression. Moreover, functional disability is an important indicator for projecting active life expectancy or years remaining for independent living. Furthermore, it was found that public religious involvement, not private, show the greatest cognitive effects. The ritual element of religion and their respective religious symbols, as Durkheim would argue, hold their special power through a concentration of meaning in these public religious rites. Weekly and yearly ceremonies intensify the member's sense of identity within the group. Anticipation and participation in these repeated public rituals, not only "serve to remake individuals and groups morally, they stimulate social and cognitive functioning, connecting the inward-looking act of remembering with the outward physical performance that build a sense of continuity. (Idler, Stanislav 1992:1076). Overall, the study indicated a powerful phenomenon at work. Public religious involvement of the elderly was linked to preservation of life and health, ability to perform basic daily activities, prevent feelings of emotional distress and even control one's timing of death (Idler, Stanislav 1992:1078).

A German study focused on differentiating between "religious" and "spiritual" attitudes of patients with cancer multiple sclerosis, and other diseases and how it impacted their health and how they cope with illness. In contrast to non-religious patients, those with a high religiosity or spirituality reported religious/spiritual views played a major role in their lives and were convinced that it helped them better to cope with their life and their illness. Furthermore, patients said their religious/spiritual attitudes helped to restore their spiritual and physical health and facilitated a deeper connection to the world around them. Moreover, practicing religiousness/spirituality heightened their sense of contentment, inner peace and strength and had lower rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide (Bussing, Osteman, Matthiessen 2005:337).

In the paper, "A Critical Review of the Forms and Value of Religious Coping Among Informal Caregivers", Michelle J. Pearce found that caregivers who turn towards high religious involvement reported improved mood, caregiving experience, spiritual well-being, as well as less burden and distress (Pearce 2005:82). Furthermore, 96% of Alzheimer patient caregivers, who considered themselves religious or spiritual, stated high levels of religious coping. Another study reported that cancer patient caregivers, used religious faith as the second most common means to frame their acceptance of dying. Prayer was cited as the most common form of religious coping (Pearce 2005:101). Moreover, those caregivers who stated religious involvement was important, were healthier than those caregivers who thought religion was less important (Pearce 2005:104). Overall, religious beliefs and involvement and religious coping were related to more caregiving satisfaction. With the trend towards informal outpatient care, longer survival times and reduced health care resources, identifying adaptive coping resources that give caregivers an effective means for handling stressful situations associated with caregiving is important. This apparent helpfulness of religious coping strategies among caregivers and religion's affect on their health and well-being seems particularly relevant and suggests that religion is an important adaptive coping resource for caregivers.

Sources:

2003. Barkan, Steven E., Greenwood, Susan F. Religious Attendance and Subjective Well-Being among Older Americans: Evidence from the General Social Survey Review of Religious Research, Vol. 45, No. 2 pp. 116-129

2005. Büssing, Arndt, Ostermann, Thomas, Matthiessen, Peter F. The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Medical Patients in Germany. Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 321-340

2002. Chandler, Emily N., Meisenhelder, Janice Bell. Spirituality and Health Outcomes in the Elderly. Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 41, No. 3., pp. 243-252

2003. Koenig, Harold G., George, Linda K., Titus, Patricia, Meador, Keith G. Religion, Spirituality, and Health Service Use by Older Hospitalized Patients. Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 42, No. 4., pp. 301-314

1987. Idler, Ellen. Religious Involvement and the Health of the Elderly: Some Hypotheses and an Initial Test. Social Forces, Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 226-238

1992. Idler Ellen L., Kasl, Stanislav V. Religion, Disability, Depression, and the Timing of Death. The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 97, No. 4, New Directions in the Sociology of Medicine. pp. 1052-1079

1999. Krause, Neal Krause, Ingersoll-Dayton, Berit, Liang, Jersey, Sugisawa, Hidehiro. Religion, Social Support, and Health among the Japanese Elderly. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 405-421

1982. Lea, Gary. Religion, Mental Health, and Clinical Issues. Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 21, Nov. 4, pp. 336-351

1993. Orsi, Robert A., George Marsden, David W. Wills and Colleen McDannell, Forum: The Decade Ahead in Scholarship, Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, Religion and American Culture, Vol. 3, No. 1., pp. 1-28

2005. Pearce, Michelle J. A Critical Review of the Forms and Value of Religious Coping among Informal Caregivers. Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 81-118

This entry was posted on April 10, 2011 at 8:29 PM and has received 1127 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

In the March 2011 "Baycrest Matters" newsletter, there was an article about a groundbreaking Bravo study, which is investigating whether volunteer activities improve older adults' physical, cognitive and psychological function. Senior scientist, Dr. Nicole Anderson (picture left) and Syrelle Bernstein, director, Volunteer Services (right) presented at the International Association of Volunteering Efforts conference in Singapore in January 2011, highlighting the benefits for the elderly volunteering at Baycrest. Anderson and Bernstein noted that volunteering increased physical, cognitive and social activity which helps volunteers preserve their brain health and decrease their risk of dementia.

My observations, which I humbly admit only encompasses a little over 40 hours of volunteer service time, would concur with the observations of Anderson and Berstein. My volunteer activities at Baycrest involves participation in the Oneg Shabbat and the Kabbalat Shabbat where I work with several Jewish volunteers, both, men and women who are well into their eighth decade of life. Many have logged thousands hours of volunteer service. Interestingly, they all still drive their cars to Baycrest. Their conversations with me are intelligent and animated. They are physically engaged in activities, such as shuttling clients to and fro from various floors to the Shabbat service. Moreover, they are socially gregarious with the clients, encouraging them to sing, read the blessings and cite prayers during the service. This appears tremendously helpful and rewarding for clients. The general attitude of the volunteers is positive, happy, and grateful. Furthermore, their participation in their Jewish tradition is important to them, providing a sense of well-being for themselves as well as contributing to the well-being of others.

The notion that religion plays a role in act of "aging well" has led to a general agreement that religion may have a beneficial effect on subjective and physical well-being among older adults. Thus, social service agencies, health-care professionals and facilities, and places of worship have noted the religious needs of older adults and made efforts to promote their ability to practice their faiths. Many studies highlight the importance of religious attendance for subjective well-being among older adults. Research has produced some pragmatic importance of religious involvement for the elderly and though participation in one's faith is not a panacea for their psychological-cognitive health, it has shown promise of facilitating some positive results (Barkan 2003:126).

In another study, the association of public religious involvement led to better functional ability and lower levels of depression. It was concluded that religious involvement assisted an individual's ability to act to modify perceptions as well as real situations of distress associated with suffering from aging and the decline of physical health and functional ability. The argument being, there is a significant association of physical decline and disability with distress, and the Judeo-Christian tradition offers many interpretive-coping strategies for physical pain and suffering (Idler 1987:229).

Baycrest has been recognized many times for its leadership in adult brain innovations and their advocacy efforts on behalf of the elderly suffering from cognitive and emotional disorders. Baycrest's sympathetic support and promotion of their client's religious involvement would appear to support the hypothesis that religiosity has a positive effect on its elderly clientele.

Sources:

2011. Baycrest part of global meeting on volunteering. Baycrest Matters. (March 9th, 2011) Vol. 7, No. 5., pp.1-8.

2003. Barkan, Steven E., Greenwood, Susan F. Religious Attendance and Subjective Well-Being among Older Americans: Evidence from the General Social Survey Review of Religious Research, Vol. 45, No. 2 pp. 116-129

1987. Idler, Ellen. Religious Involvement and the Health of the Elderly: Some Hypotheses and an Initial Test. Social Forces, Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 226-238

This entry was posted on March 28, 2011 at 3:24 PM and has received 709 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

Cultural Anthropologist, Robert Orsi explains that human beings are perpetually caught up in the daily pursuit of cultural creation which periodically gets disrupted by certain occurrences known as cultural "hot spots"--events that do not fit neatly into daily life such as death, pain, sickness, social upheaval, transition, economic catastrophe, etc. These incidences produce feelings of vulnerability in people, which activate religious beliefs that manifest in religious practices to express what matters most in their world. (Orsi 1993:3)

I have been pondering this notion of cultural "hot spots" such as sickness, pain and death and writing a paper exploring how religion in the public sphere affects the elderly, the volunteers and care-givers at Baycrest and if and how does this serve the public good.

My volunteer activities at Baycrest involve three different activities: 1) serving brunch to 150 holocaust survivors; 2) assisting at the Oneg Shabbat services for infirm hospital clients and, 3) escorting two elderly Jewish women to the Kabbalat Shabbat service.

Every Friday, I escort two elderly women (one of whom is 87 years old) from the fifth floor to the ground floor for the Kabbalat Shabbat. Both of these women are talkative--sharing with me stories about their families and past. Although both women suffer from early dementia, they appear cognitive of their surroundings and why they are going the Sabbath service. This is further demonstrated by their singing various well known Shabbat songs and participating in the candle lighting ceremony to welcome in the Sabbath. I have witnessed similar results at the Oneg Shabbat service, although the results are more subdued with the infirm clients.

Studies have shown that there is a higher rate of psychological dysfunction among non-religious persons versus a lower rate of impairment for religious individuals. A partial explanation of these results may lie in the notion that engaging in community religious activities demands higher levels of social skills and psychological functioning, thus a healthier mind, whereas, psychologically impaired persons are less likely to attend religious services or other social organizations. Furthermore, studies of elderly individuals over the age of 65 show a positive relationship between religion and psychological health (Lea 1982:339). Moreover, many patients desire a more holistic approach to health care that is spiritually sensitive (Pearce 2005:82).

As the baby boomer generation continue to age, our health care system comes under increasing pressure to find effective, creative, and less costly means of preventing illness and pro care. Baycrest has approximately 6,000 volunteers offering their expertise, skills, talents and companionship to brighten the lives of their clients. Several of the volunteers I work with at the Oneg Shabbat are Jewish seniors, most of whom are in the late 70's or early 80's and have logged thousands of hours of volunteer work. They are intelligent, physically active, happy and enjoy being of service to others.

Studies show that caregivers report religious involvement and religious coping strategies have improved their mood, care giving experience and spiritual well being. Furthermore, studies suggest that religious coping may provide an important resource for health care workers who supervise and support adaptive coping among caregivers. (Pearce 2005:82).

Overall, observational and descriptive investigation suggests a positive outcome for the application of religion in health care, but further research into the bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach is needed. Questions I wish to explore, include: How effective are religious coping strategies and how can we measure the positive benefits for both patients and caregivers? Which strategies empirically and practically address patient and caregiver spiritual issues and needs? What religious coping methods are helpful and which are harmful? These are but a few of the questions I hope to answer in my paper.

Sources

Lea, Gary., Religion, Mental Health, and Clinical Issues. Journal of Religion and Health. Vol. 21, No. 4 (Winter, 1982) pp. 336-351

Orsi, Robert A., George Marsden, David W. Wills and Colleen McDannell, Forum: The Decade Ahead in Scholarship, Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, Religion and American Culture, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Winter, 1993), pp. 1-28

Pearce, Michelle J., A Critical Review of the Forms and Value of Religious Coping among Informal Caregivers. Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 44, No. 1 (Spring, 2005), pp. 81-118

This entry was posted on March 13, 2011 at 10:43 PM and has received 811 views. There are currently 1 comments. Print this entry.

Display and performance are "fundamental to the process of constructing human reality"--that visible religion plays an active cultural role marking boundaries for the formation and re-formation of identity. -- Sally M. Promey, "the Public Display of Religion" in The visual Culture of American Religions pp. 27-48.

The iphone image (shown right) displays the numerous religious apps available to users.

A March 6, 2011 keyword search on Google.com for religious images generated the following:

• Islam - 49,000,000 results in .16 seconds
• Judaism - 6,360,000 results in .25 seconds
• Christianity - 18,400,000 results in .20 seconds
• Hinduism - 2,250,000 in .26 seconds
• Buddhism - 6,070,000 results in .21 seconds
• Atheism - 1,690,000 results in .30 seconds
• New Age - 535,000,000 results in .20 seconds
• Religion - 275,000,000 results in .15 seconds

What do these numbers mean? Is religion really on the rise or is it just our perception of religion that is on the rise?

To stimulate discussion, I give you three insightful quotes from Marshall McLuhan.

The loss of individual and personal meaning via the electronic media ensures a corresponding and reciprocal violence from those so deprived of their identities; for violence, whether spiritual or physical, is a quest for identity and the meaningful. The less identity, the more violence. -- Marshall McLuhan, "Violence and the Media," Canadian Forum, 1976"

The eighties will see a great swing from the military towards the temple bureaucracy, from the outer conquest of space to the inner conquest of spirit. Holy wars will occur --an extreme example of hardware shifting to software and spiritual values. -- Marshall McLuhan, "Living at the Speed of Light," Maclean's magazine, 1980

Many people simply resort instantly to the occult, to ESP, and every form of hidden awareness in answer to this new surround of electric consciousness. And so we live, in the vulgar sense, in an extremely religious age that, in the popular notion at least, is probably the most religious that has ever existed. We are already there. -- Marshall McLuhan, "Electric Consciousness and the Church," interview by Herbert Hoskins. The Listener 1970

Has this increase of religion's presence in the public sphere exacerbated religious prejudice or alleviated it? Is our religious mosaic fostering an atmosphere of tolerance or fear? Are religious identities threatened by the increase of religious ideas in the public sphere? Are secular authorities threatened by this perceived increase of religion in the public sphere?

This entry was posted on March 7, 2011 at 2:17 PM and has received 1057 views. There are currently 3 comments. Print this entry.

Friday, February 25th, 2011 - Today was a busy day for I was so privileged that I had three different volunteer programs to participate in commencing with my volunteer duties at Cafe´ Europa, Baycrest's Friday morning brunch for approximately 150 Holocaust Survivors.

At this point in my service commitment, I felt very comfortable working with staff, volunteers and clients. This is due mainly to the excellent volunteer training provided by Baycrest's staff and experienced volunteers. I have now come to know several of the clients by name and I am able to greet them with a warm and personal "Good Morning" and a farewell, "Shabbat Shalom". Everyone present is upbeat and enthusiastic with their work. What stood out the most this morning was the live entertainment provided by Baycrest for these Jewish Holocaust Survivors. Thanks to Baycrest's good works, I witnessed many elderly men and women, well into their 80's and 90's, singing and dancing in morning celebration--it was a most enjoyable sight.

The second program of my day was the Oneg Shabbat. Shanique and I were busy running around to several of the ward floors, picking up clients and bringing them to the Shabbat. I was quite honored when asked to read the opening poem to welcome in the Sabbath.

Sabbath Queen

The sun has already disappeared beyond the treetops,
Come let us go and welcome the Sabbath Queen,
She is already descending among us, holy and blessed,
And with her are angels, a host of peace and rest,
Come, O Queen,
Come, O Queen,
Peace be unto you, O Angels of Peace.'

We have welcomed the Shabbat with song and prayer,
Let us return home our hearts full of joy.
There, the table is set, the lights are lit,
Every corner of the house is shining with a divine spark.
A good and blessed Shabbat.
A good and blessed Shabbat.
Come in peace, O Angels of Peace.

Sit among us, O pure Shabbat Queen, and enlighten us with your splendor.
Tonight and tomorrow–then you may pass on.
And we for our part will honor you by wearing beautiful clothing,
By singing zemirot, by praying, and by eating three meals.
And with complete rest.
And with pleasant rest.
Bless me with peace, O Angels of Peace.

The sun has already disappeared beyond the treetops.
Come let us accompany the Sabbath Queen's departure.
Go in peace, holy and blessed.
Know that for six day we will await your return.
Yes, till next Shabbat.
Yes, till next Shabbat.
Go in peace, O Angels of Peace.

Hayyim Nahman Bialik

The third program on my list of volunteer activities was the Kabbalat Shabbat. Shanique and I escorted two clients, both of whom suffer from early dementia, down to the Winter Garden foyer on the main floor. One of the clients was happy to see me again as she remembered me from previous week. I thought this was a good sign since she suffered from dementia and her short term memory was not very good. Shanique brought to my attention, that walking, as an exercise, was not only therapeutic but also a preventative measure against dementia. The simple act of getting these individuals out and about to these public religious services seemed to have a positive effect upon them. Furthermore, engaging the clients in the Shabbat services with activities, such as singing, dancing, saying the blessings, and social interaction was considered by clients, staff and volunteers as having a positive mental health benefit for the elderly. I have heard it said many times now over the past few weeks, "It's a mitzvah, you've done a good deed."

Questions I would like to explore: Does the frequency their prayer and religious service strongly relate to mental health? Can the strength of this relationship be explained by the importance of their faith and how significant is this relationship to mental health? Behaviors are the result of an internal perspective, therefore, do behavioral measures such as church attendance and frequency of prayer play an important role in mental health or is it the individual's attitude or value of one's faith that has the stronger relationship to mental health? How could one define and measure these attitudinal variables and how they correlate to mental health?

This entry was posted on February 28, 2011 at 2:28 PM and has received 543 views. There are currently 1 comments. Print this entry.

Happy Valentine's Day!

On Friday 11, 2011 -- The Oneg Shabbat began on a sad note as one of the clients in the palliative care unit passed away. He had been attending the Shabbat service, often reciting the Shabbat prayers for the service over the past few years. He would definitely be missed by both the clients and the volunteers. A powerful way to comfort mourners is to encourage them to remember the deceased, so Alan, one the volunteers who leads the Shabbat service, opened by telling those present who had passed, saying further, "Ha'makom yenahem etkhem betokh she'ar avelei Tziyonvi'Yerushalayim" (May God console you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem). Alan explained, by remembering "our friend____________, he will continue to live in our hearts". Despite the loss of one who was dear to those present, the Shabbat service, much like the previous week included, music, singing and hand clapping, prayers and blessings and of course challah, wine and candle lighting to signify the commencement of Sabbath.

As part of my course objectives, I reflected more about my role at Baycrest as a "Friendly Visitor and Escort" and how participating in their program of cognitive support could apply to my "Literature Review" assignment which requires that I take an informed position on the question of religion as a public good. Sally Promey asserts that display is "fundamental to the process of constructing a human reality" and that the "public display of religion is something people do" and thus "what we see contributes to our sense of who we are, collectively and individually" (Promey p. 47). With this in mind, I have been exploring the relationship between religion in the public sphere and how it contributes to the physical and mental health of the Baycrest patients and residents.

Based on my initial observations and participation with the elderly at Baycrest in a religious environment, I would say that there are positive emotional benefits being enjoyed by patients, volunteers caregivers and hospital staff. My own personal sense of being uplifted emotionally-spiritually every Friday is a bright spot in my day and the other volunteers seem to express similar feelings. The joy and appreciation expressed by the two elderly women with dementia when I arrive to escort them to the Kabbalat Shabbat (something they would not normally be able to attend because there are no staff available to do so) seems to have a very therapeutic affect on them. Both women experience a connection with their Jewish community and faith. One of the women, interprets the entire Hebrew service for me, elaborating on the meaning of the prayers and blessings. I can't help but imagine there must be some cognitive benefits to remembering the various aspects of their faith and communicating those thoughts to another person. Furthermore, the socialization and physical exercise of getting up and out of their residence to the main floor is also helpful. My experience raises a number of questions:

• How does the use of religion contribute to the cognitive health of the elderly?
• How does the use of religion contribute to emotional-mental coping strategies of caregivers and family members?
• How does religious commitment play a role in preventing or improving an elderly person's physical and mental illness?
• How does religion facilitate coping strategies with illness and does it facilitate recovery?
• Does religion exert a primary-prevention effect against morbidity and a positive association with psychological well-being?
• Is there a relationship of behavioural and attitudinal measures of religiosity to the overall health status in elderly patients?
• Is there a relationship between frequency of prayer and attendance at worship, importance of faith and use of religion in coping with physical pain, general health and vitality, social functioning and emotional and mental health?

Sources:

Sally M. Promey, "the Public Display of Religion" in The visual Culture of American Religions pp. 27-48

This entry was posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:14 PM and has received 911 views. There are currently 2 comments. Print this entry.

On Friday, February 4th, my volunteer commitment would span three programs: 1) Cafe Europa; 2) Shabbat Program and 3) Kabbalat Shabbat. My first assignment was from 9:30 am to 12:30 p.m. at Bay Crest's Cafe Europa. The purpose of this program is to provide Holocaust survivors, many of whom are isolated and lonely, with an opportunity to get out of their residence, socialize and have fun. My tasks included welcoming approximately 150 Holocaust survivors whose ages ranged from 70 to 103 with a cheerful good morning. I was most impressed meeting one survivor who was 103 years of age and walked in on her own, unaided and quite cognitive of her surroundings. The arrival of four bus loads of Jewish seniors at first seemed chaotic, but most knew where they were going and the staff had a system to ensure that each guest would arrive safely and depart safely on the right bus for home. Interestingly, everyone knew where they wanted to sit organizing themselves by their country of origin--there was one table for Dutch survivors, another for Polish survivors, another table of Russian survivors and so on. After everyone had arrived and were seated, I help serve food, coffee and tea. While the guests ate their brunch, a piano player enthusiastically filled the room with various Jewish melodies. Part of my orientation as a volunteer included learning about potential triggers that may remind Holocaust survivors of their traumatic and painful ordeal, so we were instructed not to discuss their past unless they brought up the subject. As part of the program there was to be a scheduled keynote speaker, but that person could not attend and was replaced by, amusingly, someone else whose topic was the importance of remembering the Holocaust! As our guests were departing, I thanked them for coming and wishing them a good Shabbat with kind and caring words of "Shabbat Shalom". By 12:30 p.m., the tables were cleared and the room made ready for another visit.

My next assignment was from 1:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. helping with Shabbat Program in the Wortsman Hall at Baycrest on the main floor. Similar to the Oneg Shabbat which I help out with every other Friday, this Shabbat was attended by a larger group with live music. My job was picking up various clients at their rooms and escorting them to the Shabbat. Some of the guests I knew from the previous Friday, who attended the Oneg Shabbat, so it was good to recognize and be recognized by some of the other volunteers and clients. High energy and enthusiasm at the Shabbat is important, not only to make the guests feel welcome, but also to encourage them to engage in Shabbat with singing and clapping and challah and wine and candle lighting. Wearing my kippah, I was often asked if I were Jewish. I would reply, "no, but I should be", which always begged a smile or chuckle.

My day concluded with the Kabbalat Shabbat Friendly Visitor program, where I was assigned two elderly clients from 2:45 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. The purpose of this program is to provide cognitive support and therapeutic recreation. Every Friday at 3:30 p.m., Apotex residents and their families congregate in the Winter Garden for Kabbalat Shabbat, a pre-Sabbath service focusing on traditions they once practiced in their own homes. My job, every Friday, is to escort two elderly women to the Shabbat. Both suffer from early dementia which affects their short-term memory and they often asked the same question many times, but their long-term memory was fine. One of the women was most lively and was more than willing to provide explanation and interpretation of the service, since the cantor spoke mainly in Hebrew.

As a volunteer and as a Gentile participating in this public sphere of Judaism, I could not help but reflect on the importance of maintaining Jewish culture for an aging population--to help patients maintain a connection to their culture and to draw clients into discussions about Judaism, I witnessed how religion in this public sphere served the public good by facilitating dignity, identity and community for these elderly Jewish people.

(Image from Baycrest Bulletin, December 2006, Vol. 05 Issue 02)

This entry was posted on February 7, 2011 at 2:13 PM and has received 580 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

On Friday, January 29th I participated in my first day as a volunteer at Baycrest, whose mission is "to enrich the quality of life of the elderly guided always by the principles of Judaism."

My first assignment is Oneg Shabbat, where I and fellow classmate, Shanique, helped elderly clients who, due to physical or cognitive challenges, required assistance to attend and participate in the Oneg Shabbat.

Baycrest volunteers and staff are committed to providing their elderly clients with an environment that is sensitive to their religious observance, spirituality and cultural needs. I learned that Baycrest serves one of the largest residential populations of Holocaust Survivors in the world. At Baycrest Apotex, 35% to 40% of the clients residing at this Jewish Home for the elderly are Holocaust survivors.

In Hebrew, Oneg Shabbat means joy of the Sabbath and refers to a celebratory gathering before the onset of the Sabbath with food, singing, talk about what Shabbat means and socializing. There were approximately 20-25 people present--clients, volunteers, staff and family appointed caregivers. There was a candle lighting ceremony which was presided over by a male volunteer who facilitated certain readings and blessings. The elderly women who were capable of actively participating began Shabbat upon lighting two candles each after which bread and wine/juice was served to those who could partake. There was also Shabbat music playing on a portable "boom box" throughout the ritual.

As a volunteer it was my job to assist clients to and from the Shabbat, help serve bread and juice and add energy and enthusiasm to the event to help make for a joyful Shabbat. My Supervisor emphasized the importance of learning the clients names and talking with them, asking them, "What Shabbat means for them." One of the senior volunteers gave me a kippah to wear, and I was offered both bread and juice, making me feel all the more involved and part of this special community. I also participated in clapping and singing the song, "Shabbat Shalom, Shabbat Shalom"...which was most enjoyable. Everyone was friendly and seemed to have a good time.

Baycrest has a most impressive volunteer program and it is an honour to be able to participate in it. Their two and half hour training/orientation with volunteers was most informative and helpful at alleviating any fears or concerns that volunteers may have. Furthermore, I was given a 40 page volunteer manual to answer any questions I may have or address situations as they arise. I felt initiated into two very special communities: 1) a community of care-givers at Baycrest and 2) as a welcomed guest in a community of elderly Jews.

It is my assessment that this assignment provides a positive example of the relationship between religion and the public sphere and the public good. As a non-Jew, I experienced not only, a higher sense of acceptance and appreciation for the Jewish tradition, I was also humbled by the generosity of time and commitment by the senior volunteers, many of who have been serving at Baycrest for many years. The experience was rewarding and uplifting and left me with the notion that it is a privilege to serve.

This entry was posted on January 31, 2011 at 4:44 PM and has received 655 views. There are currently 3 comments. Print this entry.