Importance of the Faith Based Community to the Health and Wellness of Older Adults

1. Importance of the Faith Based Community to the Health and Wellness of Older Adults Linda Jones, DNP, CRNP Assistant Professor of Nursing and Medicine University of Alabama at Birmingham

2. We are ever bound in community: We build on foundations, we did not lay.We warm ourselves at fires, we did not light.We sit in the shade of trees, we did not plant.We drink from wells, we did not dig.We profit from persons, we did not know. (adapted from Deut. 6:10-12)

4. Parrish Nursing Care • Parish nursing is a recognized specialty practice that combines professional nursing and health ministry. • Parish nursing is rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and the historic practice of professional nursing, and is consistent with the basic assumptions of many faiths that we care for self and others as an expression of God's love. www.parishnurses.org

5. Parrish nursing, con’t • …in collaboration with the pastoral staff and congregants, participates in the ongoing transformation of the faith community into sources of health and healing. • Through partnership with other community health resources, parish nursing fosters new and creative responses to health and wellness concerns. • The parish nurse serves the faith community and advocates with compassion, mercy, and dignity.

6. The Older Adult:Challenges and Opportunities

7. Challenges • “One Size does not fit all” • Varying needs • Needs are not necessarily age related • People age in a very individualized manner • Complexity of needs of older adults

8. A Complex Approach: The Information System for Care of the Older Adult Socioeconomic considerations Psychology Legislation / Regulations Health education Community health nursing Technical nursing skills Nutrition Medical Surgical nursing Rehabilitiation Ethics Cultural diversity

9. Cultural Challenges • African American population often has a distrust of the medical community • African Americans are generally very trusting of their faith community • This gives the faith based community a unique OPPORTUNITY

10. Societal Challenges: A Negative Bias Toward Older Adults Myths that persist are a type of ageism. These myths / attitudes often relate to an elders: • Cognitive function • Benefit to society • Not teachable • Ready to die • Smelly • Societal drain

11. Age 84Born: April 21, 1926 and still employed

12. Born in 1911. His first term started at age 70 as our 40th President

13. She started painting when she was in her 70s, capturing scenes of rural celebrations and daily life in upstate New York, where she lived most of her life.

14. Anna Mary Robertson "Grandma" Moses: One of America’s most beloved folk artists.

15. Usual Challenges • Resources • Personnel • Commitment • Vision

16. Usual Challenges • Resources • Personnel • Commitment • Vision You are here today !!!

17. Opportunities: The Role of Lay Caring

18. Like professional caring, lay caring is • embedded in social structures • exercised as a normative practice in family, church and benevolent organizations • characterized by respect and compassion/empathy • Lay caring is distinctly characterized by • trustworthiness • reliability/availability • mutuality/reciprocity • similarity in background and experiences

19. Religious individuals may practice moderation and avoid risky behaviors based on • specific religious doctrine • literal interpretation of Scripture • belief that body is a temple of God, to be respected • Religious people have healthier lifestyles and perform fewer unhealthy behaviors • risky sexual practices • alcohol • illegal drugs • tobacco • Religiously involved individuals may have less exposure to unhealthy lifestyles/deviant behaviors • social groups do not engage in deviant behaviors • social circles do not frequent places with unhealthy lifestyles

20. Frequent Church Attendance ▼ Perception of Highly Cohesive Congregation ▼ Perception of More Spiritual/Emotional Support ▼ Deeper Relationship with God ▼ More Optimism ▼ Better Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Health Model developed by Krause N. Church-based social support and health in old age: Exploration variations by race. Journal of Gerontology. November 2002;57B(6):S332-S347. Model supported by Data from a national sample supported this model, using global self-rated health as the outcome The religion-health association was stronger in African Americans.

21. Interconnected Relationship

22. Opportunity: Diverse Needs of Community Based Older Adults Seeing the faith community as a vital link Knowing that your programs will have an impact Expanding collaborations Partnering with other resources to make a difference

23. Identify Needs • What are the older adults’ service needs? • Does the older adult want services? • NOTE: Cognitively intact? • Is this something appropriate for congregational care, or do professionals need to be enlisted? • Is this elder at risk? • Who is/are the caregiver(s)?

24. Life Transitions and Issues • Role changes • Ageism (societal prejudice) • Retirement • Grief and loss • Increasing health risks • Awareness of mortality • Reduced Income • Shrinking social world

25. Preventing Risks to Health and Well Being • Community very important in encouraging and achieving optimal health • Cultural factors influence the way people understand diseases such as hypertension and diabetes • May involve education, counseling, transportation, assessing risks, improving nutrition, exercise, cognitive and social stimulation, etc. • Promotion of maximum independence

26. Preventing Risks to Health and Well Being • Community very important in encouraging and achieving optimal health • Cultural factors influence the way people understand diseases such as hypertension and diabetes • May involve education, counseling, transportation, assessing risks, improving nutrition, exercise, cognitive and social stimulation, etc. • Promotion of maximum independence

27. “Pearl” MaintainIndependence • Older adults need to maintain as much independence as they can for as long as they can. • Many aspects of congregational care should be directed by this.

28. Helping with Meaningful Lifestyles • Spiritual • Social • Helping others • Mentoring opportunities • Innovative programs: life review, journaling, forgiveness, transcendence, meaning and purpose, helping the older person to find pleasure and enjoyment in current life activities and circumstances.

29. Dignity • In our society, one is often judged by appearance and productivity. • Every human has intrinsic worth. • When the elderly lack the attributes that command dignity for most of secular society, they can derive a sense of value and worth through their connection with God. • Eliopoulos, C. Gerontological Nursing.6th ed. (2005) Philadelphia, PA. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

30. Acknowledgements • Slides on Lay Caring Beverly Rosa Williams, PhD Assistant Professor UAB School of Medicine Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics and Palliative Care • Also, Kelly Flood, MD Assistant Professor UAB School of Medicine Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics and Palliative Care

31. References Citedfromhttp://www.directionjournal.org/article/?744Larry Marten, Anabaptist and Congregational Care • Banks, Robert. “The Early Church as a Caring Community.” Evangelical Review of Theology 7 (October 1983), 310-27. • Bender, Flarold S., “The Anabaptist Vision.” Church History 18 (1944), 3-24. • Burck, Russell. “Pastoral Care and the People of God.” Pastoral Psychology 30 (Summer 1982), 139-52.