Religion and well-being in aging persons in an aging society.

The article examines the associations between religion and societal well-being among older persons. Religion's effects upon well-being in later life should be considered separately from other points in the life span because older persons demonstrate the highest levels of religious participation of any age group, religious institutions frequently offer services of various kinds to elders, and religious traditions articulate values about aging that support well-being. Among the many changes in the human self-concept produced by developments in the 20th century has been the emergence of the expectation that a long life is normative. This paper begins by presenting a rationale for studying the associations between religion and well-being among older persons. it then reviews research findings on religion's effects upon the well-being of older adults and addresses implications of these findings for interventions aimed at enhancing the well- being of aging persons. The paper concludes by suggesting that improvements in life quality for elders can have positive effects upon the well-being of the entire society by promoting understanding and acceptance of the meanings and lessons of aging.