deity (p. 238)

orthodox (p. 238)

religious (p. 234)

ritual (p. 238)

spiritual (p. 237)

http://evolve.elsevier.com/Wold/geriatric

Most older persons have established a pattern of values, goals, and beliefs that guide their decisions and choices. These values and beliefs have their origins in the individual’s religion, philosophy, family, culture, and society.

Values and beliefs are essential to the human spirit. They are the intangibles that set humans apart from other animals. Values and beliefs affect all aspects of our lives and play an important role in promoting health and coping with illness. Values and beliefs influence how we live and how we die.

Values influence the decisions we make throughout life. They are the “rights and wrongs,” the “thou shalts,” and “thou shalt nots” that we use to steer our way through the myriad choices made during a lifetime. The choices of spouse, living arrangements, dress, eating patterns, and patterns of health maintenance are all influenced by our personal value system.

The personal value system is developed early in childhood. Many experts believe that most of our values are well established by the time we reach 10 years of age. The idea that the values that guide our lives for 80 or 90 years are established so early is significant, and the implications for parents, schools, and society are tremendous.

Values are based on the beliefs that are stressed by the family, culture, church, school, and media while a person is growing up. The beliefs that were reinforced while we were young will most likely have the greatest influence on our personal value system.

Because people develop their values based on a unique combination of time, place, and experiences, no two have the exact same beliefs and values. People of similar ages, cultural backgrounds, and experiences are likely to share similar beliefs and values. People of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and experiences are likely to hold different beliefs and values.

For example, people who formed their values during the Great Depression see the world quite differently than do those born during World War II or during the baby boom of the 1950s. People reared with strict moral or religious values are likely to have beliefs different from people raised without moral or religious training. People raised in traditional nuclear families are likely to have values different from people raised in other family structures. Those raised before the advent of television are likely to have values different from those raised with television. People growing up when war is viewed as a patriotic duty have values different from those reared during a time when any war is viewed as immoral.

People see the world through their own value and belief structure and use this as a filter by which they judge other people and events. Most of us have difficulty understanding people whose values are different from our own. It is human nature for each person to think that his or her personal beliefs and values are somehow superior to those of others. People with belief and value patterns similar to one’s own are likely to be viewed positively, and interactions are likely to be of a friendly nature. People with beliefs and values that are different from one’s own are likely to be viewed negatively, and interactions may be difficult or even antagonistic.

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