Blog
Having a phone conversation with close friends or family in happy times is one thing. Picking up the phone to someone who may be self-isolating, who may be someone you’ve only ever met in a gathering, or even to a neighbour you don’t know well at all, can be scary. But at this time we…
Read More
The prospect of isolation and ‘social distancing’ for those over 70 is raising some major societal questions and consequences. In the coming days and weeks we will be exploring in more detail, some of the answers to the below questions: – With greater longevity, those over 70 are not just one generation but sometimes two.…
Read More
Unless you have been in hibernation you won’t have failed to notice the world appears to be in the grip of the Coronavirus. There are differing views on severity, but over 119,000 people worldwide have caught the virus, and over 4,300 people have died. And what the experts are clear about is that those most…
Read More
After hearing all about the work of Faith in Later Life and their outreach into the communities of engaged but older parishioners that are all around us, I got to thinking about the chap I sit next to every week at church, James. We have sat next to each other most Sundays now for a…
Read More
2020 – 2030 has been designated the decade of healthy ageing by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO is involving governments and organisations to improve the lives of older people, their families, and the communities in which they live. According to the WHO, ‘all stakeholders pledged that no one will be left behind and…
Read More
Christmas is a time for getting together. Families and relatives will be coming from near and far, and churches will be visiting older people in care homes. Yet many often shy away from visiting people with dementia because the normal ground rules don’t apply, and they don’t know how to communicate effectively. But although they…
Read More
There are two things that I have recently reflected on. The first is that a lot of older people live on my street. The second is that at my church there are many older Christians who may be frail (not all are!) but who are real “prayer warriors”. Recently I was grumbling to my 99…
Read More
Thousands of people in the UK and around the world are living with dementia. Many are Christians who are part of a local church. Perhaps you, or someone you know, is starting this journey. So, what happens to our faith if we get dementia? And how can we as fellow believers support one another and…
Read More
During the summer months, I visited a number of churches and also heard from ‘Faith in Later Life’ supporters about Seniors related ministry in their churches and communities, and there is so much to be encouraged about! August is typically a month where (some) churches focus on their Seniors, with Holiday at Home days/weeks for…
Read More