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Exploring the spiritual needs of Older People

The older we get the more we have to let go of the things or the people we treasure most. Yet it is often in this context that the emotional and spiritual needs of older people are overlooked. Today over 18% of the UK population are aged 65 and over thats 10.7 million people. This rapidly growing group in the UK needs support, and opportunities to find faith. 

We have produced a resource "A Mission-shaped Church for Older People", which contains training material for churches to raise awareness of work with older people, resource material for ministry with older people and ideas for evangelism among both the elderly frail and the younger-old. Published jointly by Church Army and The Levenson Centre. To order your copy please contact The Leveson Centre, as they are processing the orders.

New in 2010 

Mike's talk at St David's Diocese, June 2010: Why FX and Older People

Grandparents: Understanding your Grandchildren

A practical seminar for Christian grandparents

Together with Peter Brierley we have put together two similar days to encourage Christian grandparents to understand better the world of their grandchildren and how to communicate with them more effectively, both spiritually and in other ways. October & November 2010.

Click here for a flyer with times, dates and costs: Grandparenting Forum Flyer

A Mission-shaped Church for Older People Conference

Due to the popularity of the November 2008 conference in Sheffield, a second "Mission-shaped Church for Older People" conference took place in November 2009 which again proved to be very popular. The conference was held at St Michael's Chester Square in London to cater for those in the south of England.

Resource material for both conferences are available. For more information, talks and notes please click on this link - A Mission-shaped Church for Older People - This page contains word/powerpoint of the speakers' presentations and issues raised in group work.

Older People and the Sheffield Centre

Mike Collyer had until recently been working for the Sheffield Centre with the focus of research with Older People, and has now retired. For more information on Mike please follow this link: Michael Collyer

Mike's resources for work with Older People:

1. Discovering Faith in Later Life- a series of publications from Mike's research. Contains ideas for working with and for older people that that may inspire churches and groups. Free to download, just click on the link.
2. Information Bulletins- are also no longer produced. They were released every 2-3 months until January 2010, when Mike retired. The focus on older people information bulletins are still a useful resource for currrent news about older people, and are free to download - just follow the link.

Links

Here are some key agencies we have regular contact with. Please click on the images to visit their websites.

	Age Concern have been working with Older People since the beginning of time...
	The Christian Council on Aging
	Keychange charity
	The Leveson Centre
	Mission Care
	The Outlook Trust
	Regenerate RISE
	Vintage Blacon
	VOX - Valuing Older eXperience