Ministering to the Elderly
Age is opportunity no less,
Than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away,
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
What word best describes senior citizens or the elderly? Does the word “opportunity” come foremost to your mind? Within the next half century, the words “opportunity” and even “mission field” should become synonymous with “elderly” in our thoughts. Demographic predictions forecast this population to double by 2030 in half of US states. Opportunities abound to feed and encourage the hungry souls of growing numbers of seniors in our churches and communities.
We need no special training to help feed the souls of these seniors. They often crave our time and attention, commodities all of us can provide. By sharing with them in small ways, you demonstrate God’s love and concern. God promises our seniors in Isaiah 46:4 “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
There are many ways you can witness to seniors. Consider some of these ideas:
- Share a cheerful smile with the seniors you meet.
- Take time, slow down and have a meaningful conversation with the seniors in your life.
- Invite a senior to your home for a meal with your family, especially for a holiday or even after church on Sunday.
- Offer to read the Bible to a senior whose eyesight is failing.
- Help a senior with a project they struggle with because of physical impairments.
- Send a card to a senior “just because”.
-Do you have small children in your life who create large amounts of artwork? Send their creations to a senior you know or to your local nursing home or assisted living.
-Offer to take a senior with you while you run errands. Or ask if there is anything you can pick-up for them.
-If you have a musical gift, share your talents at a nursing home or senior living center.
-Offer to bring an elderly neighbor or member of the church with you to church functions.
-If you know of a senior who is knowledgeable about a hobby, ask him/her to teach you and/or your children. For example, how to bake a pie from scratch.
-Ask if you can come for a visit. Leave your watch at home and spend time getting to know each other.
Finally, never miss the opportunity to share with the seniors in your life what a blessing they are to you. Often, seniors will say “I don’t want to be a bother”. Respond with “It is never a bother - It is my privilege!”
