AGING, HEALTH, AND SPIRITUALITY: CHALLENGES ANDPOSSIBILITIES IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES

DESAFIOS E POSSIBILIDADES NA CONTEMPORANEIDADE

Abstract

Population aging is one of the most significant phenomena of the 21st century, imposing substantial reconfigurations on public policies, health systems, and social practices aimed at longevity. Beyond biological changes, old age involves subjective, social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions that demand interdisciplinary approaches. In this context, this article analyzes the interrelationships between aging, health, and spirituality, considering the challenges and possibilities emerging in contemporary times. This is a literature review with a qualitative approach, based on classical and contemporary authors in the fields of gerontology, existential psychology, sociology, and public health, including Viktor Frankl, Harold G. Koenig, Simone de Beauvoir, Anita Liberalesso Neri, and Lars Tornstam. The results indicate that spirituality is an important resource for coping, promoting mental health, strengthening resilience, and producing existential meaning in old age. It is concluded that the incorporation of the spiritual dimension into care practices and policies for the elderly promotes a broader understanding of healthy, humanized, and holistic aging.