Making Churches Safe for Older Adults

How can we make our churches safe places for older adults - a place where older persons are empowered and supported?

• Can your church give financial and personal support to community efforts at confronting elder abuse?
• Are there activities (study groups, gatherings, visitations, etc.) that create and maintain older adults' contact with the church and community? Do these activities allow older adults to speak honestly about their relationships?
• Are there programs offering training, counselling and support to caregivers? Has your community or church developed a help list for elderly adults and concerned friends and neighbour, giving phone numbers and names for police, hospitals, home nursing services, etc.?
• In your worship services are there positive and realistic depictions of older adults? Are there hearing aid facilities in the sanctuary?
• In your family settings do you include older adults in family gatherings? Do you address the real issues of ageing by acknowledging it as a natural process?

What Can We Do To Empower Older Adults?

• Learn about family violence and ways to identify cases of elder abuse. Locate available resources.
  
  
• Develop the necessary skills for intervening in crisis situations.
  
  
• Listen to elderly people; hear their stories and pay attention to their concerns about themselves and other people and respond in a way that respects their abilities, autonomy and privacy.
  
  
• Read and talk about the problems of ageing: obtain and share accurate information about their needs and available resources.
  
  
• Address the faith concerns of the elderly, such as suffering, the providence of God, grace and vocation, the dignity of life and death.
  
  
• Develop skills, or identify people in your congregation who already have the required skills to communicate with abused older adults.
  
  
• Encourage various forms of lay ministry with older adults in churches and communities.
  
  
• Break the silence about elder abuse in our communities; explain issues related to abuse.
  
  
• Teach older adults to protect themselves from abuse. There are a number of good resources available to assist you in this.