Birchwood Live-In Seniors' Ministry Needs Assessment

Background Context

During my ministry at Keewatin, it became apparent that the spiritual needs of the seniors were not being met adequately. As clergy, we rotated through the institutions giving services, but there was no co-ordination or evaluation.

I added up the total number of services in a year, and informed the Ministerial that I would do them as a block in any one of the institutions, combining this with a needs assessment for the benefit for the whole organization. I wanted to tease out a rule-set for a different seniors' ministry paradigm, one which shifted the locus of ministry to the seniors and based it upon their felt life-needs. They assigned me to Birchwood Terrace Seniors Home, starting immediately.

Approach Used

I approached the head nurse and proposed to move in and live there for one week and work with staff and Seniors to do the needs assessment. I offered to pay, but they were delighted to absorb the costs of the project.

I lived in for the week, read related material and carried out extensive talks with staff and seniors.

The next year I repeated the project photographing the event.

Current Status

The project was successfully completed, a report made and circulated to the ministerial and local congregation.

Findings To Date

• Seniors had no say in their worship experiences, though many had done this prior to entry.
• There was inadequate marking of he passing of other residents
• There was a need for a seniors association to deal with general living concerns of the home.

Lateral Connections

Required for Completion

• The issues raised by the seniors were addressed by the staff who helped to organize both a worship committee and seniors association.
• Arrangements were made to mark the passing of residents more adequately, in consultation with the seniors association.
• A much more satisfactory period of ministry transpired, and a solid working relationship developed between the staff, myself and ministerial.
• As this was my last year there, I am not aware of subsequent developments.
• Technical problems in he photo expedition resulted in few pictures of worth.

Dissemination of results in some form needed.

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