In their article, Spiritual care and ageing in a secular society [Medical Journal of Australia, 21 May 2007 supplement], Elizabeth MacKinlay and Corinne Trevitt come to a noteworthy conclusion.
Although we live in a largely secular society, spiritual care should not be seen as an “optional extra” for older people. The search for meaning in later life becomes more real for many older people, and this search is essentially a spiritual search, with questions of meaning, transcendence and hope becoming important. Thus, one important view of ageing is of a spiritual journey. The spiritual quest does not cease with the onset of frailty or with the diagnosis of dementia. Older people often need support and spiritual care that will include journeying with them in their search for meaning and grappling with the issues that arise when life itself seems threatened.
The longer we serve in aged chapaincy ministry, the more convinced we are that this is a valuable and viable mission field. In a world where the elderly are often forgotten or overlooked, it is a wonderful privilege for us to provide a specific, much-needed focus in offering spiritual healing and hope. Our ministry is not an "optional extra" ~ it's a must.
Reference article: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/186_10_210507/mac11050_fm.html
TODAY'S PRAYER FOCUS
General Shaw Clifton and Commissioner Helen Clifton ~ World Leaders, The Salvation Army
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