African-American elderly tangibly benefit from church
By Aviana Brown
For the St. Louis American
For many African Americans, especially the elderly, religion plays a longstanding, key role in their lives. Churches provide many with sustenance, community, and moral guidelines for conduct, as well as help in attaining social, economic and educational goals.
New research confirms this conventional wisdom. In a new study, University of Missouri-Columbia researchers found that religious involvement, which is often overlooked by counselors when examining patients, is connected to psychological well-being among older African Americans.
Religion can offset the harmful effects of physical health problems and family deaths by bolstering feelings of self worth, according to researchers Charlotte Frazier, Laurie Mintz and Michael Mobley, all of the MU counseling psychology program.
The researchers examined 86 elderly African Americans, averaging 68-years-old, from three senior centers and three public service organizations in New York City. Each of the three senior centers was sponsored by a local church or community organization, and the three public organizations were non-profits that provided services and programs to promote human welfare.
Through a series of questionnaires, the researchers examined several dimensions of psychological well-being, including positive relations with others, self-acceptance, purpose in life and personal growth. They found that those individuals who exhibited favorable perceptions of their religious beliefs and participated in some public religious activities reported higher levels of personal growth, self-acceptance, positive relations with others and purpose in life.
Those who engaged in both formal and informal religious behaviors had higher levels of psychological wellness as well.
“Because favorable perceptions of religion were related to psychological wellness, counselors could strive to assess and enhance the positive nature of religious self-perceptions when working with older African Americans,” Mobley said.
“Counselors could encourage elderly African-American clients to find out if increasing religious behaviors would help alleviate distress or enhance wellness.”
“I certainly agree with the findings,” said Collins E. Lewis, MD, professor of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine and a 2005 St. Louis American Salute to Excellence in Health Care awardee.
“Multiple studies have shown that people who are actively engaged in religious activities have higher levels of psychological wellness than people who are not. However, this does not necessarily mean that the participation causes the wellness; it can also mean that psychologically healthy people are the ones who are most able and most likely to actively participate in religious activities.”
Karen D. Jefferson, church licentiate at St. Paul A.M.E. Church in St. Louis, also agreed that “the findings of the research project have validity.”
“Feelings of isolation and depression are often by-products of aging. These feelings stem from the sense of loss of purpose, usefulness and limited social interactions that accompany a decrease in mobility, decline in health status and loss of close relationships that occurs within an aging population group,” Jefferson said.
“Religion and involvement in a religious community offers hope, purpose, and activities that allow for socialization encouraging seniors to focus on others rather than self. The positive messages of hope, abundant life and the blessings of service to others expressed through religious ideology reassure seniors of their usefulness even in the golden years.”
Jefferson affirmed, “Religion offers hope through the promises of God, who promised us not only long life but also an abundant, happy, fruitful life.”
Quinn Chapel turns 160
Come all that may! Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is hosting its 160th Church Anniversary on Sunday, June 26 beginning at 3 p.m.
The anniversary theme is: “Lord, please send workers for the harvest!”
Special guests include: the Rev. Dr. Timothy Tyler and the Wayman-Nation Choir.
Let your spirits be fed and yours hearts uplifted. This celebration is open to everyone.
Join Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, 227 Bowen Street, Carondelet, Missouri on Sunday, June 26 at 3 p.m.
For more info, contact Pastor Beverly M. Stith at (636) 936.0981.
