{"id":2569,"date":"2012-03-08T01:00:52","date_gmt":"2012-03-08T09:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/?p=2569"},"modified":"2012-03-07T23:40:19","modified_gmt":"2012-03-08T07:40:19","slug":"twelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2012\/03\/08\/twelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly\/","title":{"rendered":"Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-2599\" title=\"girl-talking-to-grandma\" src=\"http:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/girl-talking-to-grandma.jpg\" alt=\"Serving the elderly\" width=\"300\" height=\"417\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/girl-talking-to-grandma.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/girl-talking-to-grandma-215x300.jpg 215w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Many residents living in retirement centers and nursing homes are lonely and have little contact with their families. By investing a few hours of your time, you will not only bless the residents but also provide a great growing and teaching opportunity for your children. Even more importantly, caring for widows and the elderly is pleasing to God (Leviticus 19:32, 1 Timothy 5:3, James 1:27).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If a      relative lives in a retirement home, visit them often! Schedule visits as part of your week or at regular times, maybe on Sunday afternoons, or have a meal with them.<\/li>\n<li>Bring      pictures, drawings, or flowers.<\/li>\n<li>Find      pen-pals or people you can write letters to.<\/li>\n<li>Offer to      read a book or newspaper to someone who can\u2019t read well.<\/li>\n<li>Bring in      small, safe animals like kittens or baby bunnies (check with the staff      first!)<\/li>\n<li>Ask a      staff member for names of residents who may not see family for their      birthdays or holidays. Bring them a gift or send a card on their birthday.<\/li>\n<li>Keep a      list of prayer requests and pray for the people you meet.<\/li>\n<li>Ask      questions! Senior citizens love to tell stories, and they have many      interesting ones to tell. You never know what you will learn.<\/li>\n<li>If      anyone in your family is musical, bring along your instruments. Organize a      \u201cconcert\u201d with singing and\/or instrumental music. You might talk to      the activities director and schedule your concert on the      activities calendar so other residents can come. If your children take      music lessons, ask their teacher to consider a recital at a      retirement home. You\u2019ll have an appreciative audience, and your young      musicians will build confidence and performance skills.<\/li>\n<li>Offer to      organize a holiday event. Conduct a special party for Easter,      Thanksgiving, Christmas, someone\u2019s anniversary, or another special day. Check with the activities director for approval or to see whether there is a specific need.<\/li>\n<li>Organize      Sunday worship services or a Bible study. Talk to the activities director      for information about what they need or allow. Most centers are very receptive. You may      also want to involve your pastor or other families from your church.<\/li>\n<li>Brainstorm      with your children to think of more ideas. This is a good exercise in      thinking of others!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This article by Daniel Forster was originally published in the Fall 2011 issue of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homeschoolingtoday.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Homeschooling Today<\/em><sup>\u00ae<\/sup> magazine<\/a>. Used by permission. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rtsocial-container rtsocial-container-align-left rtsocial-icon\"><div class=\"rtsocial-fb-icon \"> <div class=\"rtsocial-fb-icon-button\"><a title=\"Share: Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\" class=\"rtsocial-fb-icon-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.doorposts.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F03%2F08%2Ftwelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly%2F\" target= \"_blank\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"rtsocial-twitter-icon\"> <div class=\"rtsocial-twitter-icon-button\"><a title=\"Tweet: Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\" class=\"rtsocial-twitter-icon-link\" href= \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Twelve%20Ways%20to%20Minister%20to%20the%20Elderly&via=@doorposts&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.doorposts.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F03%2F08%2Ftwelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly%2F\" target= \"_blank\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"rtsocial-pinterest-icon\"> <div class=\"rtsocial-pinterest-icon-button\"><a class=\"rtsocial-pinterest-icon-link\" href= \"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2012\/03\/08\/twelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly\/&media=https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/rtsocial\/images\/default-pinterest.png&description=Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\" target= \"_blank\" title=\"Pin: Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"perma-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2012\/03\/08\/twelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly\/\" title=\"Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\"><\/a><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"rts_id\" class=\"rts_id\" value=\"2569\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"rts_media_nonce\" name=\"rts_media_nonce\" value=\"69319d3e30\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569\" \/><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many residents living in retirement centers and nursing homes are lonely and have little contact with their families. By investing a few hours of your time, you will not only bless the residents but also provide a great growing and teaching opportunity for your children. Even more importantly, caring for widows and the elderly is pleasing to God (Leviticus 19:32, 1 Timothy 5:3, James 1:27). If a relative lives in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"rtsocial-container rtsocial-container-align-left rtsocial-icon\"><div class=\"rtsocial-fb-icon \"> <div class=\"rtsocial-fb-icon-button\"><a title=\"Share: Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\" class=\"rtsocial-fb-icon-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.doorposts.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F03%2F08%2Ftwelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly%2F\" target= \"_blank\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"rtsocial-twitter-icon\"> <div class=\"rtsocial-twitter-icon-button\"><a title=\"Tweet: Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\" class=\"rtsocial-twitter-icon-link\" href= \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Twelve%20Ways%20to%20Minister%20to%20the%20Elderly&via=@doorposts&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.doorposts.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F03%2F08%2Ftwelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly%2F\" target= \"_blank\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"rtsocial-pinterest-icon\"> <div class=\"rtsocial-pinterest-icon-button\"><a class=\"rtsocial-pinterest-icon-link\" href= \"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2012\/03\/08\/twelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly\/&media=https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/rtsocial\/images\/default-pinterest.png&description=Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\" target= \"_blank\" title=\"Pin: Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"perma-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2012\/03\/08\/twelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly\/\" title=\"Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\"><\/a><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"rts_id\" class=\"rts_id\" value=\"2569\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"rts_media_nonce\" name=\"rts_media_nonce\" value=\"69319d3e30\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569\" \/><\/div><a role=\"link\" class=\"rtp-readmore\" title=\"Read more on Twelve Ways to Minister to the Elderly\" href=\"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2012\/03\/08\/twelve-ways-to-minister-to-the-elderly\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More \u2192<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[50,91,27,29,16],"tags":[102,101,100,38],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2569"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2692,"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569\/revisions\/2692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}