Benchmarks
Senior adults experience rich,
fulfilling lives that mold their
relationship with God, family,
and friends. They are able to
overcome any perceived setbacks
and enjoy their time spent in
worship, prayer, and service, as
well as in the company of others.
Spiritual
Seniors can sustain their faith,
supported by prayer, intentional time
in God's Word, church attendance,
and by receiving the Sacraments. By
practicing these disciplines, older
adults experience a real, genuine
connection with their Savior. Older
adults can build an active faith
life by spending time in personal
devotions or connecting with peers.
Social
Older adults thrive on social
interaction with friends, family,
caregivers, and others. It's
important for seniors to actively
seek Christian community—their
involvement is crucial for the life
of a church, and it also helps
them interact with peers. Actively
promote the social lives of older
adults by inviting them to monthly
events or offering to drive them
to Bible studies and worship.
Emotional
God blesses older adults with
many emotional advantages.
Many older adults have the ability
to separate their feelings from
a situation to better understand
others, which can help them
develop rich, meaningful
relationships. Senior adults
recognize that God provides
them with gifts of empathy,
attentiveness, and a sensitivity to
those dealing with loss. Support
older adults emotionally by inviting
them to events, Bible studies,
meals, and other settings that
allow them to interact with others.
Intellectual
Senior adults can benefit from
intergenerational ministry, where
they can share and articulate
their values with different age
groups. Most older adults are
open to learning from others and
trying new things, like working
with a tablet or smartphone.
Offer older adults access to
guest speakers or lectures,
invite them to join a stimulating
book group, or pair them with
a young student to mentor.
Physical
Remind older adults how much
God loves them, despite any
physical limitations. Emphasize
the vocation that God has called
older adults to fulfill, and provide
opportunities to help them achieve
it. Older adults can pray for
congregation members weekly or
make phone calls to loved ones.
Older Adults • 2 • cph.org • Copyright © 2019 Concordia Publishing House
