Assessing the spiritual well-being of people living and working within the Aberdeen Camphill communities

The Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability (CSHAD) is currently carrying out a unique study exploring the role and significance of spirituality in the life and practices of the Camphill Communities in Aberdeen . This year long study will examine the spiritual lives of people with learning disabilities living in the Camphill Communities and the importance of spirituality for their lives and for the life of the Camphill Communities.

The importance of spirituality for the process of health and social care is rapidly taking on significance across the disciplines. Recent research has strongly indicated that spirituality is an important dimension of the lives of people with learning disabilities. (Swinton and Powrie 2004):

• Spirituality is a significant aspect within the lives of people with learning disabilities.
• People's quality of life was improved by a focus on spirituality within their lives.
• For some, spirituality was expressed in religious terms. However for others, the search for meaning, hope, purpose, love and relationship was worked out through their relationships with others. Friendship and community was found to be of particular importance as a primary conduit for the expression of spirituality.
• Spiritually oriented communities were found, in terms of potential, to be a valuable source of support and integration.
• Spirituality is not something that is taught to people with learning disabilities. It is something that is learned together in some form of community. Indeed, often it is something that others learn from them. The study concludes that carers and support workers had as much to learn from people with learning disabilities about spirituality as they had to teach them and that it is a reciprocal process.

Whilst the Camphill communities are clearly ideally placed to provide for this dimension of care, to date, there has been no research that has sought to explore the significance of spirituality for the ethos and healing practices of the communities. This study will seek to fill this knowledge gap and present data to support (or otherwise) the suggestion that spirituality is important for the people involved with the Camphill Communities.

Contact Details

Rev. Professor John Swinton

Tel: Int code+44 (0)1224273224
Email: j.swinton@abdn.ac.uk
Fax:  Int code +44 (0) 1224-273750

Ms. Stephanie Brock (Research Assistant)
Email: s.brock@abdn.ac.uk

Reference

•  John Swinton & Elaine Powrie: (2004) Why Are We Here: Understanding the spiritual lives of people with learning disabilities. London: Mental Health Foundation. ISBN: 1 903645 53 0