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Spiritual Care for Older people - The Extra Dimension

SCOP Leaf

There appears to be general concern about the quality of life for older people, whether living in their own homes or in care homes, but any measurement focuses on medical health-related outcomes with little consideration being given to identity or image of those in the ‘third and fourth age’. Everyone needs to have a sense of self.

There is overwhelming evidence that high levels of spirituality are correlated positively with life satisfaction, health, healing, well-being.  Everyone is entitled to search for the experience of fulfilment, bringing feelings of well-being and wholeness.  Those in the fourth age will have sustained many losses - loved ones, career, maybe life’s acquisitions and freedom and some degree of competence.  How these losses are dealt with is important to their well-being.  Spirituality is the affirmation of life in a relationship with God, self, community, and an environment that celebrates wholeness.

SCOP hopes to encourage, help, and support everyone involved with older people and older people themselves to work towards addressing  ‘The Extra Dimension’ in the search for wholeness and well-being.

SCOP aims to:

  • Raise awareness about older people’s issues, concerns and spiritual needs
  • Offer an ongoing programme of training
  • Work alongside other agencies
  • Build good practice in the spiritual care of older people
  • Encourage older people to become involved
  • Develop a library of appropriate resource material

Older people have fulfilled meanings, realized values and actualized potentiality.  Their value remains, maybe realized in their past, but not dependent on any usefulness retained in the present.  In our multicultural society there is a great diversity in both life styles and values of individuals that affect their spiritual needs.  A person needing help and support in exploring those needs must have it safe in the knowledge that others will not try to impose their own belief systems or values.
The practice of religion may be an important resource in meeting spiritual needs and concerns.  Churches and faith communities need to adapt liturgy and services to provide adequately for older people and their care-givers

SCOP is a project of the diocese of Oxford aiming to improve the quality of spiritual care offered to older people within our communities by:

  • Raising awareness of the needs and possibilities of and for older people
  • Encouraging and advising on strategies for action
  • Providing resources to enable effective action

For further details contact:

Janet Parker,
SCOP Advisor,
Rowans,
BUCKLAND,
Oxfordshire, SN7 8QW
01367 870394
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

or

Alison Webster,
Board for Social Responsibility Officer,
Diocesan Church House,
North Hinksey,
OXFORD OX2 0NB
01865 208213