An 81-year-old woman with chronic illnesses and a strong faith.

Mrs. Smith is an 81-year-old woman who has several medical problems. Despite these problems, however, her faith and spirituality strength give her the strength and determination to move forward in life. She stresses that, "My faith helps me cope with my illnesses." This article describes Mrs. Smith's roller coaster life and how faith, prayer, and hope have allowed her to continue to press forward. She interprets pain and illnesses as challenges, not obstacles. Her physician who has been treating her for about 20 years indicates that she has continued to have multiple chronic health issues and has maintained an incredibly positive spirit, particularly when traditional medicine has failed to make a difference. Spiritual care is being increasingly documented as an important component of whole person medicine. For some, religiosity and spirituality are important aspects of patient-provider relationship. God, faith, and hope are essential factors to Mrs. Smith who uses spirituality and religion daily to cope with her chronic illnesses.

Duke Scholars

Author Harold G. Koenig Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Adult Psychiatry & Psychol ...