Inspire
When someone becomes old, frail, lonely, or isolated, God sends people like us to encourage them and remind them of His love. As you watch the residents’ faces brighten into smiles when you perform and interact with them, you will get fresh insight into how no one is forgotten by the Lord. You will see firsthand His faithfulness. He never leaves us or stops loving us.
Contagious Joy Programs bring many benefits to young people:
- Emboldens them to find their identity in Jesus and play a role that will have influence in their community.
- Gives them a place to explore their gift. You will find youth begin to recognize their God-given gifts and talents they did not know they had.
- Provides an opportunity to serve and accomplish something. You will see their relationship with Jesus grow deeper, trust Him more, love Him more, and desire to serve Him more.
- Helps strengthen the “trust relationship” between adults (Parent/Youth Leader) and youths in turn gives you an opportunity to support them through some important and difficult decisions they are making in their young life.
- Stimulates personal growth which happens the more we stretch ourselves out of our comfort zone.
- Doing the same program in several care facilities brings the most benefit to both the youth and the residents.
- For churches this may be an opportunity to incorporate one of the skits in your church service. Doing the skit at church beforehand allows the youth to contribute to their church community and serve others in their community on the same day.
- Being a part of a skit or play will help young believers be bold in their faith. The more they go, the easier it becomes.
- Increased interaction with older adults now, makes the transition easier into adulthood later.
- Interacting with people of all ages and from all different walks of life boosts social interaction and a sense of purpose.
- Helps young people to understand the fragility of life when our bodies get older, we may need someone to visit us as well.
- Also helps them understand that God is there when we take our first breath, and He will be there when we will breathe our last!
The residents love to see little ones!
Bring them in and allow them to see the residents. This can boost the residents’ health and well being:
- Little ones have a unique way of helping the elderly forget their age for a time. Interacting with young ones can help residents forget their own physical limitations and have a greater desire for involvement.
- Toddlers and young children develop greater social acceptance and increased respect, compassion, and empathy.
- The indirect results of the elderly interacting with children are increased movement, more outside time, and greater confidence in their physical abilities.
“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27
Here are some suggestions to Equip and Prepare for the visit.
Notes to Young People
You are going to Care Facilities where you will meet many seniors. In Care Facilities, they call the seniors “residents”.
Example of Youth Inspired!
Since most have probably never been to a care facility before, there may be some reservations and uncertain expectations.