In 2023, Worship Anew partnered with Barna Group on a research project called “Aging Well.” Below is an excerpt of the research journal on the power of community in the lives of older adults.
“Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread." Psalm 37:25 NLT
The psalmist David penned these words from the perspective of a long-life lived. Knowing his personal history through scripture, this verse carries added significance. At times, David praised God and rejoiced in victory, while at other times, he felt low and abandoned. Yet, by the end of David’s life, he sees the full picture of God’s faithfulness and forgiveness. Whether in biblical or current times—as the expression goes—there is no substitute for experience.
Seniors have much to offer based on what they’ve been through, but confidence can waver when it comes to sharing who they are with the world. What, then, might nudge more seniors to fully embrace where they are in life and make a difference in society? A good place to start is with how older generations are engaging with others in their community. After all, connection is key to purposeful discipleship and spiritual formation.
The Power of Connection
Generally, as older adults age, they express more satisfaction in their connections with others, their communities and society at large. More than three in five older adults also say their friendships are core to who they are (22 percent) or mean “a great deal” (40 percent). In contrast to these experiences, data reveals that one in four adults ages 55-plus (27 percent) at least “sometimes” feels neglected by those around them. A plurality of senior adults (41 percent) also strongly agree they enjoy the community they live in, but only 22 percent strongly agree they are a valued part of that community.
These insights put the power of community in an older adult’s life into proper perspective. Amid the second half of their lives, senior adults seem to have a need, fondness, and appreciation for the relationships that remain.
Family Relationships
Older adults have the healthiest relationships with family, particularly those in their nuclear/ immediate families, as well as grandchildren. Among adults 55-plus who are married, nearly three-fourths (73 percent) say their relationship with their spouse is “very healthy.” The majority of senior adults also report experiencing very healthy relationships with their children (67 percent), grandchildren (67 percent), mother (57 percent) and father (54 percent). As seniors age, these relationships improve.
What does this mean?
As we get older, we all have things we need to push out of our lives in order to make room for new things. If you have children, you may have thought to yourself, “What did I do with all that extra free time I used to have?” Whenever something new comes into our lives, something else has to go. But, what happens when we start losing the things we love, such as our friends or family members? As we age, we learn to value more and more the relationships God has given us.
Thank God for the close connections you have now. Nurture those relationships. If you find that your social circles are getting smaller, look for new opportunities to connect with others around things you enjoy doing such as reading, watching sports, or making a craft.
Reach out to those who may not have the same connections you do. Maybe you can be the family someone is lacking. As we all strive for connection, pray that God would encourage you with those near, and make you a blessing to those who are alone.