Abstract

OLIVER, Amparo; GALIANA, Laura; SANCHO, Patricia  and  TOMAS, José M.. Spirituality, Hope and Dependence as Predictors of Satisfaction with Life and Perception of Health: The Moderating Effect of Being Very Old. Aquichan [online]. 2015, vol.15, n.2, pp.228-238. ISSN 1657-5997.  https://doi.org/10.5294/aqui.2015.15.2.7.

Objective: Analyze several predictors of quality of life in older people, differentiating between relatively younger and much older senior citizens. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey of 224 elderly individualsliving in the city of Valencia (Spain), who were divided into two separate groups: those under age 75 and those age 75 or older. Findings: A multi-sample structural model was adapted to include the dimensions of spirituality and hope so as to predict two indicators of quality of life in the elderly: satisfaction with life and perceived health. Statistically significant relationships (p<0.05) were found between spirituality and hope and the two indicators. The prediction of life satisfaction is especially powerful. The multi-sample findings indicate faith plays a relevant differential role among the very elderly. Discussion: The findings are compared to the literature. Conclusions: For the very old, spirituality has an important impact, in some cases differential, on indicators of aging with quality of life, such as life satisfaction and health, and on the ability to perform tasks, whether instrumental in daily life or in productive activities.

Keywords : Spirituality; quality of life; aging population; prediction.

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