By Kaye Ross

It has long been known that being happy not only helps extend a person’s life but makes a life of any duration seem longer and healthier.

The Center for Gerontology, Spirituality and Faith will focus on the connection between spirituality and happiness from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 28-29 at the Church of the Resurrection Hall, 725 Cascade Dr., Sunnyvale.

The conference, “Beyond Bingo: Uplifting the Elder Spirit,” will explore ways elderly men and women can employ laughter, forgiveness, nutrition, yoga - even drumming - to become more spiritual and to increase their joy in everyday life. Sessions are aimed at older adults, gerontology professionals and caregivers.

Julie Barton of Los Altos was one of the founders of the gerontology center some 15 years ago. It began as an outreach program of the Sunny View Lutheran Home in Cupertino. She and other founding board members realized that “something beyond the nuts and bolts of elder care” was needed - a way to help bolster older people’s spirits and emotions.

“Right now spirituality is a big deal,” she said. “We were really ahead of the game. We had some quite famous people come and talk and run workshops.”

Barton, a social worker, said the ecumenical center stresses spirituality instead of religion. There is a great difference.

“Religion refers to the structured, organized church or mosque,” she said. “Spirituality can and certainly should be part of that, but there are a whole bunch of folks who are unchurched but are still spiritual beings. They find meaning elsewhere - with their grandkids, nature, connections with people.”

Arlene Goetze of Sunnyvale, long active with the center and founder of Catholic Women’s Network, a spirituality and personal growth group, agreed.

“Religion can help one grow spiritually,” she said, “but often religion is a detriment - when rules are rigid and people act out of fear of punishment of hell or the promise of unlikely rewards.”

Goetze calls spirituality “a movement toward the authentic,” which focuses on things that nurture the soul, mind and body. Many spiritual elements are found through the senses, she said, such as enjoying a sunset, gardening, music, art, smelling lavender.

“These things uplift the spirit of a person and are often beyond religion,” she said. “They involve high levels of humility, compassion, generosity, love” and are “virtues of the heart rather than rules of the head.”

Even caregivers need to “take time to just rest and renew,” Barton said. Elders need to keep up “the vital connections in our lives that bring us spiritual satisfaction.” This can range from being a part of something larger to even just feeding the birds in the backyard, she added.

“A lot of people set aside a place in their homes as a quiet place filled with things that are meaningful for them, so they can go there to feel at peace,” she said.

Another longtime worker with the gerontology center is Judith Pruess-Mellow, a former minister at Los Altos United Methodist Church who is heading up a non-profit agency working with older people, Senior New Ways.

Research from the Veteran’s Administration shows that even just thinking up four fun things to do every day can decrease the stress and depression that can plague the elderly, she said.

“The last task in life gives us the choice between despair and integrity, wholeness,” she said. “We all need to leave a legacy. Integrity really means looking back on your life, acknowledging everything that went on and saying, ‘I’m OK. I can accept what was not so hot and rejoice over what was so great.’ This ability keeps an older person from growing into despair.”

She has been running “saging circles” in which the elderly can mine their acquired wisdom and work toward finding ways to give it to the rest of the community.

This, too, increases spirituality - as do telling stories, scrap booking, sharing memories.

Gaining spirituality is a learning process. The conference is aimed at providing tools for making the journey.

The center’s new board president, Michael Peck, Ph.D. who teaches at the School of Social Work at San Jose State University, is to offer ways to integrate the good with the bad of life. His talk will address the question: “Is happiness a choice?”

Robin Pollard of Hollister, who teaches Hatha yoga at the San Benito County YMCA, is scheduled to demonstrate how to exercise the laughter muscle through yoga techniques.

Julia Ross, director of Recovery Systems Clinic in Mill Valley, has written two books on nutritional psychology. She is to discuss the importance of food choices and nutrition in keeping an optimistic outlook on life.

Ursula Bomholt, Dominican nun and pastoral counselor, is to talk about the role of forgiveness in acknowledging our past pains and gaining happiness later in life.

Goetze is set to open the conference with her group of women drummers called Healing Rhythms. Drumming with the hands is an ancient ritual that is now being used as an aide to health and healing.

Drumming involving meditation and singing can open communication in the elderly and even people with Alzheimer’s disease. Goetz recounted a story of Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart going to drum for his grandmother, an Alzheimer’s patient. The woman, who had not spoken in years, responded to the drumming, calling Hart by his name.

“It’s amazing how people who can’t remember their own names can remember ‘Jesus Loves Me,’ ” Goetze said.

The conference costs $65 for both days or $35 for one day. For more information, visit www.spirituality4aging.org or call Gerry Roy (408) 454-5625.