Living Well into Older Age:

Joy & Meaning

Jane F. Gilgun, PhD, LICSW

Professor, School of Social Work, University of Minnesota,

Twin Cities, USA

February 28, 2015

Topics

“Rainbow in the Clouds:” Maya

Angelou

Gerotranscendence

Indicators of Living Well

Spirituality and Aging

Spiritual Autobiographies

Suggestions

Rainbow in the Clouds Video

What words or ideas did you hear in

the Maya Angelou’s video? In one

sentence or less.

What do these words or ideas mean to

you?

What are these words or ideas calling

you to do?

If you have time, please discuss.

Gerotranscendence

Gerotranscendence is regarded as the

final stage in a possible natural

progression towards maturation and

wisdom.

Balance between positives &

negatives

Integrity vs. Despair

◦ Wisdom

Small Group on

Gerotranscendence Count off by threes.

Select a facilitator.

No discussion until the end.

Take Turns.

Each person shares responses to one of the items.◦ This can be a brief description of how the

item applies to you or to someone you know.

◦ You can also tell a story that illustrates the item.

Indicators of Living Well Vital Involvement Meaningful Relationships with Others Physical Activity Mentoring Relationships Resilience Being Someone Else’s Rainbow Self-Honesty/Humility/Modesty◦ Willingness to fail and to be wrong

◦ Learns from Mistakes

Sense of Humor Duchenne Smile Spirituality

Duchenne Smile

Willie Mays, Then and Now

Willie Mays Which of the indicators of Living Well do

you identify in Willie’s interview with Jon Stewart?

Count off by threes. Select a facilitator who asks each person

to comment on each question. No discussion until the end.

Take turns. Each person shares an indicator of living

well. You can also tell a story that illustrates

the indicator in your own lives.

Spirituality

Tends to increase during later adulthood

Spirituality is associated with◦ life satisfaction

◦ desire to be useful and of service to others

◦ psychosocial well-being, and

◦ physical and mental health.

Fosters recovery from illness

meaning and purpose in life

relieves psychological distress and anxiety about death

caregiver coping

Spiritual Autobiography

Life story viewed from a spiritual

perspective

Spirituality: personal experiences of

connection to transcendence

Spiritual Autobiography

Has your perception of God changed

during your lifetime?

When I pray, I ….

I do things for others because….

Guidelines

Count off by threes.

Choose one item to think about or

write about.

After about five minutes, take turns

sharing what you wrote.

After everyone has shared, please

discuss.

Reference

Phifer, Nan Merrick Memoirs of the soul

: a writing guide. Eugene, OR: Ingot

Press.

Resources for Spiritual

Exploration Spiritual autobiographies

Reminiscence groups

Life reviews

Video projects

Center for Healing & Wellness,

University of Minnesota

Penny George Institute for Health &

Healing

Wisdom & Mystery

To hold the full mystery of life is

always to endure its other half, which

is the equal mystery of death and

doubt.

Wisdom happily lives with mystery,

doubt, and “unknowing,”

Rohr, Richard (2011-02-11). Falling Upward: A

Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (p. 112). Wiley.

Kindle Edition.