Green bench wisdom
The concept is simple. In a public place, an older adult sits on a green bench that is marked with the hashtag #ElderWisdom. Community members are invited to sit and engage in conversation about the senior’s life, experience and insights. Afterwards, community members can share about their experience on social media, using the hashtag. The…
‘God just isn’t finished with me yet’
I was raised in a family with Scottish Presbyterian roots, where no one talked about faith for fear of being “too religious.” We trusted that seniors had it all figured out and their faith carried them, although we would be stretched to say we understood how. I wonder sometimes about their experience with God and…
Still the same inside
For Anita Lehmann, home is the dementia unit at the Mennonite Nursing Home. But unlike most of the unit’s 29 other residents, Lehmann doesn’t suffer from dementia. When it became evident she needed care, Lehmann took the only room available in the 68-bed facility, which happened to be in what staff refer to as the…
A soon-to-be favourite recipe
We all have our favourite recipes. There is the tried and true. Or there’s the newly created ones that are fun to test and then turn into classics. One tried and true combination in life is older adults and children, yet it is a combination that may not be as common as either group would…
Enduring service
It would appear that 65 is the new 40 across Mennonite Church Canada. As Canadians continue to be active into their 60s, 70s and even 80s, so, too, are Mennonites remaining active in their churches well into their senior years. Whether this is by choice or by default depends on a number of factors, including…
Caring for our seniors
Across the country, many MC Canada churches are staring at the numbers and scratching their heads. As young people drift away from the church and the baby boomers retire, church leadership is faced with increasing numbers of grey heads. Those faithful church founders, so consistent in attendance and giving, have reached the declining years. For…
