Guest Article from Kristen Louis of ParentingWithKris.com

(More from Kris)

We’re taught to honor and cherish our senior family members. So when it comes to your church family, it makes sense to want to focus on helping senior members stay connected and healthy. After all, churches can play such an integral role in enriching the lives of seniors in their communities. With this in mind, here are some FAQs and resources from Pastor Lee to help you better serve and assist the older members of your church family.

How Can We Keep Seniors Connected to Our Church?

Church services can benefit seniors in so many ways, aside from nourishing their souls. Still, mobility issues and health concerns can make getting to church a challenge.

• You could offer online services, like Pastor Lee’s online spiritual community.
• You can also arrange for transportation services to get seniors to church.
• It can also be beneficial to make physical changes that will prevent falls.
• These can be as simple as installing ramps to accommodate seniors.
• Knowing how to help seniors manage mental health issues can also help.
• As well as guiding seniors to mental health services via Medicare.
• Finally, consider offering adult ministry programs tailored to senior citizens.

How Can We Help Our Senior Church Members at Home?

Compassion for your older church community members shouldn’t stop at the door of your church. Most seniors can benefit from having some extra help around their homes.

• Food insecurity and poverty can be common challenges for older adults.
• Your church members can help by having groceries delivered to seniors.
• Or you could look into meal delivery services especially for seniors in need.
• Another way to help seniors access healthy food is to set up a food pantry.
• Aside from providing food, you can also organize yard clean-ups for seniors.
• Helping seniors avoid isolation is also a good way to improve their quality of life.

Spiritual well-being can be so crucial for aging adults. Of course, so can nutrition, mental health and quality of life. So make sure your church family has the tools needed to address these areas of concern for your senior family members, so you can continue supporting them.

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