Ministry to the Aging

Elder Care Resources

The Archdiocese of St. Louis respects human life at all ages. With the improvements in health care, more and more people are living into their 90's and well over 100. While living at home is always the preferred option, often families are unable to fully care for their elderly parents and relatives without help. The resources found on this page have been provided for those seeking information on where to go for assistance in caring for the elderly.

Pope John Paul spoke about the care of the elderly: "Old age is the third season of life: life
that is born, life that grows, life that comes to an end are the three
stages in the mystery of existence, of that human life which 'comes from
God, is his gift, his image and imprint, a sharing in his breath of
life'"(Evangelium vitae, n. 39, quoted in The Church and the Elderly, October 1998).

In addition to finding help through Cardinal Ritter Services, Catholic Family Services, and many parish nurses who visit the elderly in parishes, you may also find it helpful to visit the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services webpage and learn about the Ombudsman program in St. Louis and St. Louis County. "Missouri's ombudsman program consists of ombudsman/volunteers serving residents of nursing homes and residential care facilities
to provide support and assistance with any problems or complaints."

Also, the St. Louis Alzheimer's Association has a very informative website and the staff is always ready to help those who call with questions and concerns. They can be reached at

24/7 Helpline: 1.800.272.3900
Email: helpline@alzstl.org   

St. Louis Chapter Office
9370 Olive Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63132-3214
314.432.3422

Office Hours:  Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

SOCIAL SERVICES
RSVP participantsat Cardinal Ritter Senior Services has a dedicated Social Service Department that provides
seniors in the community with access to extensive services
and support programs, information resources, and referral
services. Services include: geriatric case
management; programs for grandparents acting as parents;
services to connect seniors with food and shelter; financial
support and management; psychological and medical
resources and counseling. Social services are also
provided for those in CRSS senior apartment living,
assisted living, skilled nursing facility and those who
live in their own homes. Call 314-918-2258 or visit the Cardinal Ritter webpage for more information.

For information about Cardinal Ritter Services in the St. Charles area visit their website.

Special Speakers for Parish Events

"A New Vision of Maturing Adult Faith Formation" is a presentation being offered to parishes by Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D., PCSG. Dr. Johnson's mission, and the purpose of the Association for Lifelong Adult Ministry (ALAM) and The JOHNSON Institute is exclusivly to help the flow of God's grace into and through the spiritual lives of God's maturing adults. 

For more information about Dr. Johnson, visit his website Heal Your Illness.

One of his goals is to help parishes spiritually enliven the lives of their maturing adutls.This seminarImage is an efficient way to "spread the word" of the needs of maturing adult ministry. Dr. Johnson is nationally recognized for his pioneering work in Spiritual Gerontology. He is invited to churches, dioceses, and religious communities for consultation, workshops, retreats, and other educational work. Dr. Johnson’s fresh ideas and enthusiasm for the spiritual aspects of adult development and aging have inspired scores of maturing adults to follow their hearts and live more abundant lives in Christ. He has written many articles and books, including the recently published Parish Ministry for Maturing Adults: Principles, Plans & Bold Proposals.

Contact
Jo Ann Owings 314.792.7179, jago@archstl.org