Loneliness in Older People - Online

Ageism in churches – Isolating and Excluding Older People
Ageism is a negative and destructive attitude to ageing and older people, and is the most
commonly experienced form of prejudice (Age UK 2012). Unfortunately, ageism in society and
in churches often goes unnoticed, unrecognised or unchallenged. Ageism reflects a lack of
knowledge and understanding of ageing and a fear of older age, leading to negative attitudes
and discriminations against older people. It affects how people view older people and their
value in society; it also affects how older people see themselves, what they expect and how they
view their place in society (Campaign to End Loneliness 2020).
Ageist views discriminate against those living in the Fourth Age, suggesting that ageing is
something to avoid at all costs. Such views devalue and dismiss the contribution of elders and
focus on the new, updated, modern and young. Ageism and age discrimination manifests in the
lack of resources, services and policies to support older people within the community and in
society. Despite the Equality Act (2010) making it illegal to discriminate on the basis of age, older
people often experience prejudice from society, communities, churches and families, due to
inherent ageist views and attitudes.
“Churches and Christian faith organisations can have policies,
services and practices which discriminate against older people,
without being explicitly ageist”
The impact of institutional ageism, seen in society today, is that the needs of older people can
be overlooked. Ageism experienced by people living in the Fourth Age is often due to a lack
of knowledge and understanding, rather than intentional discrimination – leading to some
older people feeling excluded, abandoned and disregarded. Churches and Christian faith
organisations can have policies, services and practices which unintentionally discriminate
against older people, without being explicitly ageist – simply by excluding older people, not
enabling them to access services or making them feel disregarded and ignored. Because it is
so negative, excluding and discriminatory, ageism can itself lead to a predicted and inevitable
loneliness in old age. Ageism which has been built-in to society’s views leads to a ‘self-fulfilling
prophecy’ of loneliness, as people view loneliness as an inevitable part of getting older and
experience much higher levels of isolation and loneliness in the Fourth Age.
Despite most churches having declining numbers and ageing memberships, very few have
specific ministries, leadership or missions involving or among older people. Rohr (2012)
suggested that many churches have a ‘first-half-of-life’ culture, where the focus of ministry is on
children and families, with the contributions and needs of elders being unintentionally ignored.
In particular, there is little focus on those in the Fourth Age – the ‘forgotten faithful’, who may
not be able to attend church services, events or groups; whose spiritual and pastoral needs may
go unnoticed or unfulfilled in some churches; who may have enormous amounts of knowledge,
experience and wisdom but few opportunities to share or use these in ministry or mission. It
is interesting to note that churches who hold Family services often focus these on the needs
of children and youth members, omitting to consider the older members of grandparents and
great-grandparents – this is one example of the churches’ unintentional ageism which over the
years has excluded and ignored those living in the Fourth Age.
13 | Loneliness in Older People