1. D Gero Heroes Group Names Wendy Nguyen Gail Francis Carmen Harrison
Michael Nguyen
Kimberly Sasaki

2. Spiritual Beliefs and attitudes on aging
1.  Are you a spiritual person? If so, what is your spiritual belief? Do you identify with a particular religion? 2. Does your spiritual beliefs influence bereavement? 3. Terminal illness, health care and spirituality is often tied into our modern "human ceremony".  After a diagnosis of terminal illness for a friend or family, would your spiritual beliefs help guide your decisions for health care advice?  Now imagine you were diagnosed with a terminal illness. Would your spiritual beliefs allow for more, less or have no affect in receiving and accepting health care?  Why? 4.  Do you believe that you may become more spiritual as you get older, particularly as you become an older adult?  Why or why not? 5.  Compared to the United States , do you believe your country is more, less or roughly the same, in terms of spirituality?  In the United States , research shows that Americans become more spiritual in their older adult years (65 years or older).  Is this true in your country, as well?

3. Background on Participants
Females – 4 females
Males – 1 male
Mean Age – 66.5 years old

4. Are you a spiritual person?
80 percent answered yes.
20 percent answered no

5. Spiritual Affiliations
Three participants are Christians.
One not Buddhist, but follows Buddhist teachings
One participant is not spiritual or religious.

6. Definition
Bereavement is grief in response to loss

7. Does your spiritual beliefs influence bereavement?
Three answered yes
Two participants said “No”
Gerontologists must be compassionate

8. Do spiritual beliefs guide decisions for Health Care advice?
60 percent answered yes.
40 percent answered no.

9. Attitudes No; based on what is appropriate
Beliefs have no effect in accepting it but yes on type
Yes; Cancer Survivor, pays tribute to ancestors
Yes; believes in prayer leaves life in Gods hands

10. How Does Age Affect Spirituality?
Yes: as you age, you search for meaning
No: beliefs not likely to change
No: death ends the journey of life
Yes: goes to temple
Yes: praying more often

11. Response Statistics

12. Attitudes on How Taiwan Compares to U.S. in Spirituality?
Taiwan is more spiritual due to customs/traditions
Neither; increase in spirituality fear of death
Neither; same as above
Neither; but spiritual Seniors age more gracefully
Neither; but Taiwan has more death & dying rituals

13. Response 1a 1.m60.yes 2. F66,no 3. Cancer SurvivorF80,yes 4.f60,yes
5.Social Workerf,yes 1b
intelligent design
firm life beliefs
traditional beliefs 1c
Christian
none
not buddhist
christian 2a
yes no 3a 3b
no but yes on type of health care
no effect
more
less 3c
power of the body
caregiving experience
Cancer experience
give life to God
religion does not guide 4a 4b
steady strong beliefs
stong life beliefs
beliefs already strong
strong beliefs
search for meaning 5a
same
IDK 5b