The world is a big place full of conflicting ideas and disagreements. It’s rare to find something everyone has in common. However, it isn’t impossible, and across all countries, cultures and beliefs, one thing remains true everywhere. The elderly are consistently the most devout group of people in society. Despite this fact, churches and other religious sites sometimes don’t do enough to make attending regular services easier for the elderly. However, by making a few small changes, these organizations can make huge improvements for their senior citizen members.
Audio and Visual Aids
As people age, their bodies stop working as they should. Among other things, they can’t hear or see as well. You can easily help with this problem by purchasing microphones and speakers or other devices to help raise the volume of your sermon. Assistive listening devices can help members who are older and have trouble hearing. Furthermore, reserve the first few pews for those with hearing or sight problems, and if your church is large enough, install some large televisions that broadcast the stage area in strategic areas throughout the church.
Large-Print Religious Texts
Another way to help those who can no longer see well is to purchase bibles, hymnals and other religious texts in large-print formats. Provide personal copies to those seniors you know who need them, or simply buy several and place them in the sections where your elderly members like to sit. By providing religious texts with a larger print, the seniors in your congregation will be able to more fully participate in your services.
Comfortable Seating
Providing churchgoers with more comfortable seating is beneficial to people of all ages, but it is especially important for seniors, whose bones and joints may not be able to tolerate the hard, wooden pews. There are many different ways to provide comfy seating in churches. One of the easiest ways to make seating more comfortable is to pad each of the pews. You can purchase pew padding online or in specialty stores, or you can simply have some of the members of the church make the pads themselves. Some churches are moving away from pews altogether and providing padded chairs for their guests instead. If money isn’t an issue, you should make all the seats in the church more comfortable. However, at the very least, you’ll want to do this in a designated area where senior citizens can sit.
Everyone deserves the right to worship and praise whenever and however they choose. Making these small adjustments to your church can ensure that your elderly members feel more comfortable, can better understand the sermons, and enjoy the music. Plus, these changes will make your church more inclusive — not just for the elderly, but for all types of people with disabilities or just simple aches and pains.
For more items to help make your space more senior friendly, check out this list of ideas!
