08028
January 10, 2008

Healthy aging Web site goes online

Focus is positive aging through engagement in the church and community

by Evan Silverstein
Presbyterian News Service

More than 70 million baby boomers are set to reach retirement age over the next 20 years, according to the PC(U.S.A.)’s newly launched Living Longer, Feeling Better Web site. Photo courtesy of the Administration on Aging

LOUISVILLE — A new Internet Web site aimed at getting Presbyterians 50 and over on the road to healthy aging has been launched by the National Health Ministries (NHM) office of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). 

Living Longer, Feeling Better features health and wellness resources to assist older adults in achieving and maintaining good health. It also examines vital roles congregations can play in helping aging members stay fit by keeping them involved in the church and its activities.

“Aging in the pews of the Presbyterian Church is a reflection of aging in the general population,” said NHM associate Pat Gleich, who developed content for the Web site. “One of our goals is to show how being part of a congregational community, being engaged and actively contributing, promotes healthy aging.”

The Web site’s “Tools for Congregations” has suggestions for establishing health-minded church initiatives for aging Presbyterians such as walking programs, health fairs and congregational health ministries.

There is information about parish nursing and the Presbyterian-related Association for Retired Ministers, their Spouses or Survivors.

With the general population of the U.S. living longer, the site examines how congregations can strengthen their ministries by getting older members increasingly involved as more than 70 million baby boomers are set to reach retirement age over the next 20 years.

“The church provides the perfect place for aging adults to enjoy and share the fullest measure of God’s promised abundant life,” Gleich said, “and to build stronger and larger networks for volunteer service, spirituality, socialization and sustenance.” 

Living Longer, Feeling Better explores generally accepted factors that contribute to healthy aging with information about diet and age-specific exercises.

Another section of the Web site outlines housing options for retirees such as retirement communities, independent living and shared housing.

There is also information related to health issues and caregivers, along with helpful links to Web sites like the Presbyterian Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, and the National Aging in Place Council.

The “Get Engaged” section of the new Web site provides the rationale for people getting more involved and tools for helping them and tips for discovering the right volunteer activity.

This section is an effort of the PC(USA) to get in sync with several large national initiatives designed to help baby boomers who are near or reaching retirement get involved in community-based volunteer activities.

The median age of the PC(USA)’s membership is 60 years old, Gleich said. Today, people who retire at age 65 can expect to live 20 to 30 more years in relative good health, she said. 

Gleich said people over 100 years old are the fastest growing age-group in the United States with people over age 85 the second fastest growing group, followed by people between the ages of 65 and 85. 

National Health Ministries provides resources, health-awareness information and training to individual Presbyterians, congregations and governing bodies in health-related ministries.