The stress aging Americans are experiencing due to constantly rising health care costs is accelerating at an alarming pace, new polling shows. “More than a third of adults 65 and older (37%) are concerned they will not be able to…
Younger and older Americans aren’t returning to church as much as the middle-aged
Yes, church attendance has declined in the two years of the pandemic. But it has not declined equally across all demographic groups, according to a new analysis published by the Institute for Family Studies. The Institute sifted through data from…
Churches and vaccination clinics have this in common: Young adults are staying away
It’s not just church that young adults in America are staying away from. New data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control indicate adults ages 18 to 29 are the least likely to be vaccinated against coronavirus. On a national…
Senior adults benefit from mindfulness techniques, speakers say
Senior adult Christians can cultivate more energy, peace and compassion by embracing mindfulness meditation, a pair of United Methodist spiritual teachers said during a webinar hosted recently by Fellowship Southwest. Mindfulness spiritual techniques also can help seniors navigate the challenges…
Ministry involvement a key need for many aging Christians, ministers say
Thanks to medical advancements — along with some other factors — people are living longer. This means the number of older Americans will continue to grow in the coming years. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by 2050, the number…
U.S. churches face big ministry challenge in aging Baby Boomers
As a large group of Americans, the so-called Baby Boomers, have impacted U.S. society, culture, politics and religion for decades. With the oldest members of that famed generation now turning 70, the Baby Boom generation is poised to leave another…
Baptist-affiliated Buckner to pursue deal with Methodist retirement community
By Ken Camp Buckner Retirement Services announced its intention to seek to affiliate with or acquire Sears Methodist Retirement System. If joined, the combined entities would become the largest not-for-profit senior-living provider in Texas and among the top 20 in…
Churches facing a rethink in how they engage aging Boomers
By Vicki Brown Many churches rely on retirees as volunteers to keep some programs and activities vital and growing. Some congregations turn to mature adults for the basics — answering phones, stuffing envelopes and other office or maintenance duties —…
Slow to retire: Boomers turn to ‘encore careers’
By Vicki Brown Baby Boomers — Americans born between 1946 and 1964 — are extending their working careers, and many are turning to what has been dubbed “encore careers.” Boomer numbers vary, with estimates from 65 million to 76.4 million…