New Ideas in Memory Care

For those who have been touched by the advance of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia this heartwarming and startlingly practical idea will be a blessing. May God bless you as you continue to do your best to give dignity and loving respect to those who are living in a world we can no longer fully understand.

Playing Their Song – Part 1

“One year we went on a cruise for our anniversary. After dinner one night we went down to listen to the band that was playing in the room below the dining room. In that moment as they started playing our special song, a feeling of completeness and peace just settled over us enough that I dared to dance for the first time in what felt like a thousand years.

In the same way, music is an essential part of any nursing home ministry because just the right song at just the right time can make a connection to people’s hearts. This chapter will help you to see how you can do that through worship as a part of your outreach. If you have just started visiting a new facility it may have been a long time since the there have heard their favorite hymns. They may have even forgotten the melody and some of the words so our first order of business is to help them start singing again. ” excerpt from New Beginnings in Care Ministry

More to come tomorrow. As always I would invite anyone to share their experiences of any kind bringing music into long term care facilities. Blessings and have a great day

Care Ministry Resource

It’s been quite a while since I released anything new on Nursing Home Ministry. This book New Beginnings in Care Ministry gives a wider view of Long Term Care ministry than what I have written in the past. If your life has been touched by long term care, through a family member, your job or as a volunteer I pray that this short collection of stories and insights will be a blessing. This is available in both softcover and E-book formats through Amazon.

Care giver or Care worker?

I coined the term care worker to indicate that long term care ministry encompasses as wide a field as being a care giver. Whether we are making a hospital visit, spending time with a shut-in or singing for a special needs child we all share something in common. We are providing a shepherd’s care.

Am I my brother’s keeper? Genesis 4:9

Cain’s 6,000 year old question reflects in a strange way his brother Abel’s vocation as a keeper of sheep. His bitter rejection of any responsibility as a care giver is still being asked in our society today. When does God expect us to provide shepherd’s care for someone else? The answer is “Any time we can”. God has given us opportunities in our community to serve as care workers. We do not need to wait till by necessity we are “care givers” for a friend or family member. Any day is a good day to be a shepherd. There is no experience required and free training is always available!