Studies have shown that as many people age, their spirituality deepens. Spirituality of Later Life: On Humor and Despair is a focused exploration of humor, despair, and spirituality in later life. Respected authorities share their insights on humor and despair in the process of spiritual development in later life, with discussions on how to provide effective pastoral practice in aged care.

• Foreword (James W. Ellor)
  
• Preface
  
• Human Despair and Comic Transcendence (Melvin A. Kimble)
  
• The Paradoxes of Humor and the Burdens of Despair (Susan H. McFadden)
  
• Lift up Your Hearts: Humour and Despair in Later Life (Heather Thompson)
  
• Humour: A Way to Transcendence in Later Life (Elizabeth MacKinlay)
  
• Dementia, Identity, and Spirituality (John Killick)
  
• Ways of Studying Religion, Spirituality, and Aging: The Social Scientific Approach (Elizabeth MacKinlay and Susan H. McFadden)
  
• Spiritual and Pastoral Care Approaches for Helping Older Adults with Depression (John White)
  
• 'Just Because I Can't Remember' Religiousness in Older People with Dementia (Corinne Trevitt and Elizabeth MacKinlay)
  
• Hope Rising Out of Despair: The Spiritual Journey of Patients Admitted to a Hospice (Ann Harrington)
  
• Non-Speech Based Pastoral Care: A Pastoral Care Program for Aged Care Residents with Little or No Ability to Speak (Elizabeth Vreugdenhil)
  
• Index
  
• Reference Notes Included