Over the years,
my ministry has been increasing expanding to the needs of aging seniors and
their families. Many years ago with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, I developed a care-giving program for isolated elderly. One of the by-products
of a faithful life is God honoring his promise of 70 years or more. As a
result, many of our faith communities are populated with active seniors who are
well into their 70s and many in their 80s holding positions of responsibility.
I marvel at their zest and zeal as they rigorously engage in church
and community activities. They are to be applauded for their
commitment to endure until the end. On the other hand, I have witnessed
families having to cope with their senior love ones experiencing diminishing
capacity. Their loved one's ability to remember, to cope, and to be independent
rapidly declines without any hope of reversal. Very few families are prepared
to handle the emotional and economic byproducts of a caring for a loved one who
is an aging senior. Society provides few options for assistance when a family
is facing this matter. As a Pastor in an urban church, I'm confronted every day
with the gravity of this situation - how to counsel families with aging senior
members. The situation changes dramatically when my role as Pastor is superseded by my role as a
caregiver for an aging senior.
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