Looking beyond the stereotypes

Want to reach older people? You need to look beyond the stereotypes.

Nearly one in five people in England are aged 65 and over, with more than a quarter of the population expected to be above 65 by 2065. Research in numerous western countries arrives at similar conclusions.

These figures, from the Centre for Ageing Better, illustrate why UK churches need to keep a focus on outreach to older people. To ignore them is to miss out on a major mission opportunity.

The Church of England has proclaimed its objective of becoming ‘a younger church’, aiming to double the number of children and young active disciples by 2030 – but could witness to older people help the CofE and other churches to grow?

Organisations like Faith in Later Life and the Anna Chaplaincy network are helping to promote and encourage outreach to older members of our communities. They are doing great work across the UK.

Initiatives include lunch clubs, exercise sessions, singing classes, tea and coffee times, outings and a broad range of social activities open to the community. Many churches are offering ‘holiday at home’ projects with special activities organised, and one church even arranges a monthly chiropodist’s visit.

Earlier this year, Faith in Later Life published research showing the range and effectiveness of initiatives launched by local churches. It demonstrated the importance of mission and ministry to older people, alongside other church activities.

But ‘later life’ or ‘retirement years’ is a catch-all term that says little about the fast-growing number of people in these age groups. A fit-and-well 65-year-old is very different to a 95-year-old person living in a care home. A church’s outreach to each of these people will be very different. We need to look beyond the age-based stereotypes.

One – hopefully helpful – way of describing ministry to older people focuses on their health and ability. My proposed categories would be:

The ‘go-go’ people: Men and women, often new to retirement, who are physically and mentally active and often looking for opportunities for voluntary service in areas, perhaps very different to their previous paid work.

This age group is often the backbone of many churches, providing the voluntary support for all kinds of church activities – from staffing the church toddlers’ group to membership of the church council.

The mission opportunity here could be to encourage active people from outside the church to become involved in aspects of the church’s community work and so give them the chance to meet Christians and so consider taking an interest in faith, for example joining an Alpha Course. Roles would need to be chosen with care but could provide an opportunity gradually to become involved in the life of the church.

The ‘slow-go’ people: Men and women who are no longer as active, perhaps because of illness, adjusting to life following the bereavement of a spouse, or needing to care for a family member.

Here the mission opportunity may be around inviting them to join in church social events, such as lunch clubs or drop-ins, where they can meet new people and be drawn into the life of the church. Transport may need to be provided.

Bereavement counselling, reflective remembrance services and support provided by church pastoral visitors can also be helpful.

The ‘no-go’ people: These are older people who are now home-based or living in a care setting. Visits from church members, services held at care homes, and ‘live-streaming’ of church services can also be a link for them to the worshipping community. Many churches have adopted care homes in their area, and provide regular times of worship, and visits.

And then, at the end of life, churches can also provide sensitive funeral services, tailored to the wishes of the bereaved, and their families. Exercising a sensitive funeral ministry is a major asset for any church, as often a person’s funeral will be a memory that will stay with a family for decades.

A well-conducted funeral also gives the opportunity for the gospel of hope and salvation to be preached, sensitively, to many people who would not normally come to church.

Ministry and mission to older people can be part of a church’s strategy of growth, especially if it is taken forward in an informed way, with the needs of the different age groups in mind.

As Alexandra Huggins, chief executive officer of Faith in Later Life, has said, “There is something very powerful about ministering to those who are very old, including the experience of journeying with someone to the very end of life. The impact on the wider church of mission to older people is significant.”

This article was first published in Christian Today.