Pastoral Care Regarding Losses for Seniors: Creating Rituals, Personal Narratives, and Practices to Draw Seniors Closer to God

Abstract

An increasing population of seniors provides pastoral caregivers the opportunity to affirm the seniors' value to family and society. The following reviews society's perspective of the elderly and the challenges they face. This article presents the concept of creating rituals and personal narratives, along with biblical stories and the lives of biblical characters, to help seniors who need to find closure for losses and to find meaning in their lives, both past and future. The techniques target Christian seniors; however, the techniques may be adapted for seniors of other faiths and those who do not believe in God.

Keywords:

• pastoral care
• counseling
• personal narratives
• rituals
• grieving
• seniors