Spirituality: The Essence of Wellness Among Tongan and Samoan Elders

Spirituality is often ignored as a central component of wellness. According to Pacific cultural beliefs, spiritual harmony is necessary for wellness to emerge and is particularly salient for Pacific elders who are intergenerational connectors between the past, present, and future. Using principles o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion & spirituality in social work 2011-10, Vol.30 (4), p.405-421
Main Authors: Ihara, Emily S., Vakalahi, Halaevalu F. Ofahengaue
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Elderly
Hawaii
History and sciences of religions
Methodology (Data Collection)
Religiosity
Religious sociology
Samoan elders
spirituality
Studies in religion
Tongan elders
wellness
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Summary:Spirituality is often ignored as a central component of wellness. According to Pacific cultural beliefs, spiritual harmony is necessary for wellness to emerge and is particularly salient for Pacific elders who are intergenerational connectors between the past, present, and future. Using principles of grounded theory for data collection and analysis of in-depth interviews with 10 Samoan and 10 Tongan elders in Hawai'i, two major themes emerged: meanings and expressions of spirituality and interdependence of culture, spirituality, and wellness. From a Pacific perspective, spirituality is central, and wellness does not exist without balance of the spirit, body, mind, and environment.
ISSN:1542-6432
1542-6440
DOI:10.1080/15426432.2011.619916