This book by Holly Nelson-Becker, Professor and Division Lead for the Social Work Division, features an integrative approach to preparing clinical social workers to work with older consumers' spiritual and religious beliefs. Readers will gain the knowledge and skills they need to assess, engage, and address the spiritual and religious needs of older persons. Taking a fresh approach that breaks new ground in the field, the author discusses eight major world religions and covers values and ethics, theories, interventions, health and caregiving, depression and anxiety, dementia, and the end of life. Meditations and exercises throughout the book allow readers to expand and explore their personal understanding of spirituality. Referencing the latest research, the book includes assessments and skill-based tools designed to enhance the mental health of older people.
The book was published in March 2017 by SAGE press and is available on Amazon: Spirituality, Religion, and Aging: Illuminations for Therapeutic Practice.