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Aging: A New Field of Ministry for Churches
Listen to Dr. Parker's discussion
Although many churches and religious groups now operate ministries and outreach programs for the older members of their congregations, Dr. Michael Parker, who works in the areas of gerontology, geriatrics and palliative care with the UAB Center for Aging, says there's much more that could be done to help their communities with strategies for successful aging:
"I think the church can be far more actively engaged right now in addressing the needs of its aging congregations," Parker says. "But therein rests part of the problem. Many churches think of older people in this context: 'old, frail, and dependent.' As in, 'How can we help you?' And most older people prefer not to be thought of in that manner.
"And because they've lived longer and have had diverse experiences, wonderful vocational careers, I believe that they should be thought of as leaders. As sources of information, and of wisdom. As people who can mentor younger people. Who can, in their 'retirement years,' be actively engaged in the pursuit of benevolent works.
"So the church…I'm talking about the church universal…needs to re-think how it conceptualizes growing old. We really do need a 'theology of aging' that speaks to the power and might that comes with wisdom. And having experienced the seasons of life in such a way that their wisdom can be brought to bear on others, and to help others…not just in spiritual ways, but in practical ways.
"For example, we've done a number of things in the context of the church. We've put on a 'Successful Aging' Conference at the University of Alabama, for which about 60 churches collaborated across denominations, in partnership with two major universities, to put on a series of seminars and training workshops about how one ages successfully. But the overarching perspective of that conference was to counter the notion that to be old is to be frail and dependent. And to put in its place this idea that's much more accurate, I think, that our elderly, our senior citizens, have so much to offer.
"We think about the World War II generation as being 'the greatest generation,' but we think about that work as something that was done in the past. We don't think about all that the World War II generation could bring to bear today. And yet they have the same capacities and qualities that have been enriched through the years to bring to bear on social issues of the day.
"One great opportunity for the church rests in the area of care-giving. Right now, care-giving falls to people who are at midlife. And that's generally thought of as people who are between the ages of 33 and 60. We've had to enlarge that range of what we consider midlife because people are living so long. And there's a biblical mandate to honor your mother and father. In fact, all the world's religions speak to the importance of that. But the church is not engaged in assisting people to do that, in the way it could be.
"Caring for an aging parent is simply part of life, and it's something that should be prepared for. Much like you might for, say, a child's college education. We need to be talking with our parents, and our parents need to be talking with us, pro-actively, before it's too late, to work out very specific plans that deal with a variety of legal and financial and spiritual and family issues. And the church could be a part of that whole educational process. The whole end-of-life issue is so interesting…people don't realize how important it is that we prepare for the end of life. Most people think they're going to go quick in the night. Unfortunately, it's more likely for most of us to be kind of a prolonged process. And if we want to have some say-so in how that process unfolds, we need to plan ahead…with end-of-life directives, for example, and the church could be a part of that educational process.
"The church could help with such medical tasks as helping families locate a trained, qualified geriatric physician. We have a very rich resource in that area, here at UAB. The church could also help with legal tasks, something as simple as developing a durable power of attorney with a health care proxy, or helping locate a qualified ElderLaw attorney.
"The church could be involved in concerns such as a family member realizing 'I don't think Mama should be driving any more," and could help the family connect with a program such as the UAB Driver Assessment Clinic.
"The church could also be involved, for instance, in helping family members to get a history from a senior, before dementia hits or a stroke incapacitates a person. The church could help families get that audio or video history, and give assistance with how to do a 'life review' of a loved one. That would be a gift that would continue to give, throughout the future."
A downloadable audio file of Dr. Parker's article is also available.
Article last updated: December 18, 2006 3:19 PM