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Spiritual needs are an important aspect of older adults’ well-being, associated with meaning in life, inner peace, and social relationships. This literature review aimed to identify the spiritual needs of older adults and examine the benefits of spiritual interventions based on prayer, dhikr, and spiritual counseling. A descriptive literature review was conducted by searching publications from 2021 to 2026 using the keywords prayer, dhikr, spiritual counseling, spiritual care, and spiritual intervention. A total of 13 relevant articles were analyzed descriptively. The findings indicate that spiritual interventions, particularly dhikr therapy and religious activities, may reduce anxiety and depression while improving psychological well-being and quality of life among older adults. However, evidence regarding the specific effectiveness of prayer and spiritual counseling remains limited. Therefore, spiritual needs should be integrated into holistic gerontological nursing care by considering older adults’ beliefs, health conditions, and individual preferences.
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Reinita et al. (2026) studied this question.
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