All the days of our lives

Facts and figures

Europe has the highest proportion of elderly people in the world. One person in 15 is over 75; this will be one in 10 by 2010.

About 8.5% of Somerset's population is over 75 already; 17% are over 65. The number of 75-84 year-olds is expected to rise by 7.3%, but the over-85s by 41%.

Old people are heavy consumers of healthcare (women more than men) and the cost of their social care is rising exponentially. Disability rises steadily with old age, with joint troubles, breathlessness, feet and back problems being prominent. The need for home helps and mobile meals rises steeply with age and the expense is very great.

Many old people are socially isolated and a sizeable minority have no carers; more have exhausted carers who are still not supported. Most old people do not live in institutions, although the percentage rises steeply with age.

Humanist and Christian worldviews

Communism and capitalism alike are evil materialistic world systems which value people along economic lines. Unsurprisingly, neither places much worth on old people. Humanism is softer and gentler, but definitions of 'meaning' remain very local and 'fuzzy'.

Christianity has a radical view of personhood as the 'icon' of God: humans and immortal souls, made for interaction with God himself; that this God took human form, lived, died and rose again so that we too may live, die and rise again. We need to argue our worldview everywhere and not be ashamed of it.

What the Bible says

The Bible has an intensely realistic view of old people. It freely recognises the problems and pains of slowly growing old and slowly fading away. It also insists that old people be respected, lead God's people, and seeks faith in people of all ages.

It portrays the ugliness of old age without God and insists that old age with God can be very positive. It holds a view of life that spans beyond death to eternity, but is unsqueamish when talking about death. It talks about God's love spanning life, death and eternity. It believes in a bodily future resurrection of our bodies. It believes in miracles in old age.

Problems of old people

There are three Ds in particular.

Depression:

- there are high prevalences of de-pressed mood and hopelessness in old people;
- depression is highly treatable, but can be lethal and happens to believer and unbeliever alike;
- detecting it requires a sharp eye and asking the right questions.

Dementia:

- the prevalence rises steeply with age (2-3% at age 65, 25% at age 85);
- is progressive global impairment of mental function;
- is sometimes treatable, but even if not, it needs planning for;
- needs enough love to insist on a referral to doctors.

Disability:

- old people are often uncomplaining, often do not take up their benefits, and become set in their ways;
- GPs and occupational therapists are often very helpful;
- always insist on a full MOT before anyone is placed in a residential home.

DYING - The dying as social lepers

Dying is the antithesis of 'successful' humanism. Dying people are social lepers, and so are the people who look after them. Well, the Lord was not afraid to touch lepers - so we shouldn't be, either.

Non-Christians dying

Relieving the physical symptoms of dying is the easy bit: the hospice movement has taught us much about that.

The social pain is hopeless parting: relationships can be healed even at a late stage - bad relationships make for the most grief.

Nobody ever really comes to terms with the idea of extinction. Part of this is their immortal soul refusing to believe it.

It is the loneliest journey in the world. Dying people are desperate for human contact: your hands may feel empty but God can fill them.

Christians dying

Christians do not always have an easy time dying. Pain, nausea and distress are human, not humanistic, experiences. Watching your body disintegrate is hard, even if you know you'll get a new one.

Parting is not hopeless, but it is still hard. Faith may have to grow up and mature rather quickly. It is a great mistake to imagine that faith and distress cannot co-exist.

How to help dying people

Surround people with a quality of love and care which adorns the gospel. ('People will not care what you know until they know that you care.')

Speak the truth in love. Have open heart, hands and mind. Take every opportunity to bring the Lord into it. Find another believer you can talk to, pray and hug.

A WAY FORWARD - Mainstreaming old people

We live in a multi-age, multi-skill, multi-gift church. We are God's provision for each other. We need a first century communism of resources and skills.

Needs and gifts

Consider elderly people and their carers: ask them! Be proactive in meeting need. Consider both the practicalities and emotional and spiritual needs. This may involve becoming an advocate for the powerless. Thoughtfully utilising gifts involves a rethink of a 'good' church.

Old people's faith and hope need to be challenged and developed just like anyone else's. We should look for growing faith and holiness in old age.

Revising our views of life

Our ways of describing ourselves by work, position and income are largely ungodly. The Scriptural view of personhood is profound and realistic.

Conclusions

Old people are dear to God; they are not always so to us. Sidelining and superficiality degrade, de-skill and depress old people. We just cannot afford to miss out on old people's counsel, prayer and gifts. Inasmuch as we do it to our brethren, we do it to the Lord.

Old age and death are not a fading away in Christian thought: the Christian reality is putting out the candle at the rise of a new dawn.

Does the modern church have room for the elderly?