Churches have and should play a dominant influencing role in community services for Boomers and their Parents.  Whether it's a synagogue, parish, congregation, or Mormon Temple, faith based organizations cannot only protect their older members as they age but can actually shape policy on how communities deal with them.  Churches have many reasons to do this, primarily that their tithing base tends to be made up of older, financially secure individuals, for whom the church is a source of connection, community, and inspiration.  As these folks age and either age in place or transition to care facilities the possibility of tithe monies being diverted for the additonal at home care or paid to care facilities becomes more forseeable.  The effect on the financial structure of the church could be potentially devastating.  I think churches can respond in the following ways:

1. Create a Parent Care Counselor position inside the church either on a lay basis or a as paid staff member.  The Parent Care Counselor as well as The Parent Care Solution have created ithe capability as one that is responsible for coordinating resources and being a refernce for church members for senior services both inside the church and the community.  A Parent Care Counselor is trained in the Parent Care Conversations to be able to work with Boomers and their Parents inside the church.

2. Create Housing Opportunties.  Churches have the ability to create assisted living, special care, transition housing, or adult day care opportunities for their members.  My feeling is that churches should take this responsibilityand this opportunity on immediately.  In additon to being an excellent investment for the church, the housing allows the church members to stay in community with each other.  Politicians and Zoning officials will get on this bandwagon immediately.  Who wants to be know as the person who vetoed Senior Housing for 5th Street Baptist.

3. Create a home health care agency inside the church.  In the Parent Care Total Care Solution we advocate our professionals creating their own at home health care capability.  This is necessary for a number of reasons including a current shortage of nurses, a projected shortage of nearly 700,000 healthcare workers, the looming retirement of nearly 40% of the Geriatric Physician community over the next ten years, and the fact that just when a congregation's members need health care, it may be difficult to access.  A side benefit is that it is a wonderful source of revenue for the church and a way to connect with the children of the seniors.

There's a scriptural adage that not a sparrow falls that God doesn't know about.  Maybe it's time to for the church to pay that kind of attention to its older sparrows.