Online religious counseling for older adults

Abstract

Studies have demonstrated the importance of online activities to wellbeing, especially in later life. The present study seeks to determine whether and how online religious counseling can improve the wellbeing of older believers. A six-month qualitative study was conducted with a group of Orthodox Jewish older adults (N = 26, aged 70-96) who manifest various types of age-related distress. The participants were home trained to use a dedicated, accessible online platform featuring religious questions and answers (Q&A). Data were collected through netnographic observation, monthly online inquiry and in-depth interviews with counselees and counselors alike. Analysis indicated that online spiritual Q&A for the elders are characterized by unique content, types and styles of discourse. Their variety reflects the heterogeneity of needs, areas of interest and worldviews among older religious adults. Participation in online religious counseling provided them with numerous religious, intellectual and social rewards. At the same time, their counselors—six rabbis that volunteered in this project—gained religious, communal, professional and psychological benefits from the opportunity to share their knowledge and advice. Anonymity, asynchronicity, digital literacy and types of questions were identified as issues that may have opposite effects on the experiences of participants and counselors, respectively. Although some factors may delay and/or diminish positive contributions, involvement in online religious counseling appears to promote wellbeing in later life. This service is particularly beneficial to Orthodox older adults with detrimental health conditions whose use of online religious Q&A helps them cope with the difficulties they face and maintain their enjoyment of life.

Model of Relationship between e-Counselling Skills, e-Counselling Ethics and e-Counselling Limitations with Counselling Self-efficacy

“…Issues of boundaries in the online communication may also be an ethical concern among e-counselling practitioners. While clients expect counsellors to be online around-the-clock, counsellors are not obligated to do so, especially considering their workload and time constraints [83]. E-counsellors who receive a number of clients with this mindset may eventually feel frustrated and burnt-out from clients" expectations, therefore leading to lower perceptions on their competence level to carry out counselling work.…”

Using tenets from the Bhagavad Gita in counselling diaspora Hindu older adults: Impact on stress mitigation and improving quality of life

“…There is ratification for religious values through religious texts as a source of wellness (through reduced stress and improved life quality) for older adults (Bhide et al, 2021; Gautam & Jain, 2010; Koenig, 2015; Malone & Dadswell, 2018; Manickam, 2010; Ogorek & Isaacson, 2021; Shaw et al, 2016). The effectiveness of online interventions is also endorsed (Okun & Nimrod, 2020; Sprik et al, 2021). Moreover, the higher stress and lower quality of life baseline scores of participants corroborate studies that highlight issues of acculturative stress and adjustment difficulties of immigrant/diaspora older adults (Cela & di Belgiojoso, 2019; Ciobanu et al, 2017), even in long‐term immigrants (see Hepburn & Sintos Coloma, 2019).…”

“…Some scholars point to gender differences in the impact of writing interventions (Range & Jenkins, 2010), while others have found fewer differences (Ahmadi‐Azad, 2015; Stickney, 2010). Online interventions are gaining prominence as they are cost‐effective, convenient, accessible, and have comparable effect sizes with face‐to‐face interventions (Okun & Nimrod, 2020; Sprik et al, 2021).…”