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As the daughter of an aging mother I have lately had to stop and think about how I will continue to honor her and give her dignity in her old age. It seems that so many elderly lose this once they are ill or become dependent on a family member for care.
The following is what I found that speaks to this issue, and I find that it calls me back to what it means to be a Christian and to follow Christ in the everyday.
The following information is taken from a Resolution on the Ministry of Caregiving in Relation to Older Adults (the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A, PDS 68-600-02-001). However, the need of care giving is something that transcends denominational boundaries.
Post World War II baby boomers are the fastest growing age group in the older population. As the lengthening of life increases, and as birthrates decline, the percentage of older individuals in the U.S. is growing rapidly. Statistics show that by the year 2030 20 percent of Americans will be 65 years and older with the fastest-growing group being 85 years and older.
Pastoral care in the church has traditionally fallen into four forms of caring: healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling. There are a variety of ways that caring is needed, received and offered. As Christians we are to care for one another both within the family unit, as well as in the community; care giving is as much a responsibility for the community as it is for the individual.
As a generation of baby boomers, we have grown up without the intergenerational connectedness that past generations have had. This then causes a severe shortage in availability of caregivers with a family unit. Even professional caregivers are in short supply.
How might you answer the following questions?
1. Rather than institutionalizing our elderly bring them back into the home, and supporting the care giving family?
2. How can the church train its leadership so that they are equipped to meet today
The following is what I found that speaks to this issue, and I find that it calls me back to what it means to be a Christian and to follow Christ in the everyday.
The following information is taken from a Resolution on the Ministry of Caregiving in Relation to Older Adults (the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A, PDS 68-600-02-001). However, the need of care giving is something that transcends denominational boundaries.
Post World War II baby boomers are the fastest growing age group in the older population. As the lengthening of life increases, and as birthrates decline, the percentage of older individuals in the U.S. is growing rapidly. Statistics show that by the year 2030 20 percent of Americans will be 65 years and older with the fastest-growing group being 85 years and older.
Pastoral care in the church has traditionally fallen into four forms of caring: healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling. There are a variety of ways that caring is needed, received and offered. As Christians we are to care for one another both within the family unit, as well as in the community; care giving is as much a responsibility for the community as it is for the individual.
As a generation of baby boomers, we have grown up without the intergenerational connectedness that past generations have had. This then causes a severe shortage in availability of caregivers with a family unit. Even professional caregivers are in short supply.
How might you answer the following questions?
1. Rather than institutionalizing our elderly bring them back into the home, and supporting the care giving family?
2. How can the church train its leadership so that they are equipped to meet today
