The Church has a plan to embrace Ottawa’s elderly

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

No group has been hit harder by COVID and the government restrictions than the elderly confined in long term care facilities. Cut off from the outside world and even each other, seniors are our most vulnerable, yet there is a community seeking to embrace them. One Way Ministries is preparing to launch a new ministry to Ottawa’s elderly; it is called Embrace Ottawa.

In the early months of COVID, Anne McGregor was troubled by the suffering of the elderly and prayed for a way to help. “I had this thought: What if every church in this city would adopt one residence? If every church did that, what a difference it would make to the people who are forgotten during this time.”

With One Way’s support, McGregor formed a team to pursue this vision and help churches build long term connections with Ottawa’s many care homes. While the current lockdowns have delayed Embrace Ottawa’s launch plans, they aim to pilot the vision with several local churches to help them refine their processes for a full launch in the new year.

“Just be there for them and support them.”

“Our team has people who have decades of experience with the elderly, with long term care, and with training. Embrace Ottawa will help make the connections, offer training, and help church teams get through the residences’ volunteer processes.”

Above all, Embrace Ottawa aims to provide desperately-needed spiritual care that is often lacking among the elderly. Unlike in the public school system, McGregor says long term care facilities are open to Christian groups coming in with the Gospel.

“With the older generation, many of them expected to go to church. They crave spiritual care. It is actually part of the mandate for long term care,” explains McGregor. “This is a mission field that is right around us. There are 10,000s of them right in our city. They have their feet right on the edge of eternity, but many of them don’t have a relationship with Jesus. Churches can come and hold a service, Bible studies, do one-on-one visiting which gives an opportunity to hear about Christ. Just be there for them and support them.”

Around 80 percent of those in long term care have some sort of cognitive decline, but the team says there are lots of opportunities for the Gospel.

“She had no ability to tell us if she wanted sugar or cream in her coffee, but she beautifully sang every word to the hymn It is Well.”

“I’ve worked in long term care for over 30 years and I can tell you many stories of seniors who, even through their dementia, were able to experience authentic moments with God,” says Embrace member Caroln Della Foresta. “One day, a lady who had not been able to speak for years was brought to a hymn sing. As soon as the music started, she sang clearly every single word. She had no ability to tell us if she wanted sugar or cream in her coffee, but she beautifully sang every word to the hymn It is Well.”

Connie Coburn, a nurse and Embrace team member, believes many Christians want to help the elderly, but do not know where to start.

“Embrace will take much of the guess work out of it,” she says. “We not only provide the initial training but follow up in the form of topical training as well as times of celebration and sharing in the great work that God does.”