Thursday, January 11, 2018

Aging Parents and Loss

Bill and I have been serving in disability ministry for over 20 years now.  During 16 of those years we have been on the journey of aging parents and loss.  Just as we felt unprepared for parenting, we also felt unprepared for the acquired disabilities and challenges of aging.  We are still discovering the numerous ways the elderly are being moved to the margins of our churches and communities.  It is with education and understanding that we can help the elderly stay in the center of our families and communities.

Over the years we have experienced the immediate loss of a parent as a result of a car accident.  We walked through the diagnosis of cancer, only to loose the parent nine days later.  We have been on a journey of many goodbyes through the challenges of dementia and lastly have learned to navigate the challenges and adjustments of the typical aging process.

Every person, personality, and diagnosis in the aging process is different, but most likely there will be acquired disabilities along the way.  There are many things we wish we had known beforehand.  Over the last ten years we have taken classes and educated ourselves on a variety of preparation for aging issues.

On January 27 we will be teaching a five-hour course in Austin on Aging Parents and Loss.  We also have plans to present in Denver on March 10.  If you have any questions about our course or would like to register, please contact us at gracewithoutmargins@aol.com for more information.








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