If you're considering joining a community, such as one under the Bethesda Senior Living Communities umbrella, here are seven ways your new home can help you grow in faith.
Many seniors who have health or mobility issues struggle to attend their home church regularly and may feel isolated. Faith-based assisted living communities hold spiritual activities, such as worship services, Bible studies or rosary prayers, within the community.
This enables you to practice your faith in a group-based setting without having to leave the comfort of the campus. You only have to walk out of your apartment to the dining room or common areas to join in an activity, break bread or talk with another believer.
These communities also commonly tie religious themes into holiday celebrations, such as Christmas and Easter, allowing you to focus on your beliefs during seasonal activities.
Naturally, many of the residents moving into a faith-based community practice faith themselves. Because Bethesda Senior Living Communities welcomes individuals of all beliefs, newcomers will most likely find kindred spirits among their neighbors.
Interacting with other believers can help fan the flames of your faith. It's easy to become distracted by issues in life, such as busy schedules, health issues and financial problems, but speaking with other seniors of faith can help you remember to stay focused on your chosen beliefs and priorities.
Forming bonds of friendship with other community members offers a rich avenue of encouragement and support when you struggle with worry or doubt. You'll also have opportunities to return the favor and minister to your friends when they need uplifting.
Most senior living communities provide scheduled transportation. This allows you to join spiritual events in the surrounding area, such as faith-based concerts, holiday celebrations and charitable events hosted by local churches.
You may also wish to use the transportation to attend or occasionally visit your home church, with no need to drive yourself or ask for a ride from friends or family.
Assisted living communities under the Bethesda Senior Living umbrella have an on-site chaplain to assist residents. Besides attending the worship services and Bible studies, you can request personalized visits and counseling.
Furthermore, the chaplain can recommend reading materials from the library. Don't hesitate to ask for suggestions regarding particular topics you'd like to pursue in your personal studies. As with all the staff members, a community chaplain desires to help residents thrive.
Prayer warriors are the backbone of churches. If you've moved away from your home church, you may feel disconnected from the prayer support you enjoyed before. You may also miss having a group to pray with and for.
However, in a faith-based community, you're apt to find others who feel the same way. If there isn't already a prayer group, consider establishing one. You could offer to meet in your assisted living apartment or common areas.
You can speak with the staff about posting a community prayer request board in one of the public spaces. Alternatively, you could place a message board on your apartment door or create an online email list or social media page others could join.
From its founding in 1959 to today, Bethesda Senior Living Communities has existed to enrich the lives of others through service. Part of this service is to help seniors feel for themselves the sense of purpose and accomplishment that caring for others brings.
This is why our residents frequently see volunteer opportunities presented by their staff members. We also encourage and support individuals' efforts to create their own chances to help others in need.
If you're interested in ways to get started, examples of resident-led opportunities include a can drive for a homeless shelter and a bake sale to raise funds for the local fire department. You could also form a sewing or knitting club in your apartment that creates blankets for babies in an area hospital or pets in an animal shelter.
In addition to volunteer and charity opportunities, moving into a faith-based assisted living community offers you the chance to minister to other senior believers.
Senior living communities often feature resident-led activities in their monthly event calendar. This allows you to put your faith and passions into action. If you play an instrument or sing, you could lead a praise service or sing-along showcasing your favorite hymns and worship songs.
Bible studies are also a popular offering among older adults. If teaching isn't one of your strengths, consider simply hosting one. There are many nondenominational studies, such as Through the Bible with Les Feldick, that allow you to play the lesson for your peers via free online videos and then discuss the topic afterward.
