Reaching Out – Older people and Catholic parishes making memories together
On average, people are living longer, and older people form the majority of active Catholics in England and Wales. Many parishes and individual carers – many of whom are older people themselves – already offer older people vital support at home, at church and in the neighbourhood. The ‘Reaching Out’ guidance published by CSAN offers a useful starting point for parishes looking to review or develop group activities with older people.
Some of the charities in the Caritas network and many religious orders run professional services for older people, including residential care homes, home care and community projects. The future of these services will depend increasingly on support from Catholic communities to shape the kind of care people want to see for their loved ones and to be part of themselves in later life. In December 2019, CSAN published a major report, Care in Time, on the challenges for the Catholic community and care services in an ageing society. You can see a film of the launch event online (these are external links):
Picture: Re-used with permission from Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds)