2 - 2003
Living spaces for older people and the hospice movement
by Präses Manfred Kock
The church's programme and pastoral work must be adapted to the increased number of older people. Through the hospice movement, there has been decisive change during the last 20 years in the way the church accompanies the dying. The idea of death with dignity in institutions for the elderly and in private homes is gaining ground. In Germany there are now 64 fully equipped in-patient hospices, and in addition there are many hospices offering outpatient and palliative care. The largest number of these activities is carried out by hospice initiative groups, with more than 600 local associations.
With the brochure "Living Spaces for Older People", which has aroused great interest far beyond our regional church, we are introducing a process of recognition of aging persons as a well-differentiated target group in the work of local churches, which should be recognised in discussing congregational planning.
In the pastoral care of aging persons we are facing completely new challenges, which cannot be met without a change of perspective and intensified joint efforts. Theological training, functional competence and assumption of responsibility at the parish level are called for in order to serve the pastoral needs of older persons in a responsible manner. Here we should acknowledge the many initiatives promoting in-patient and out-patient hospice care. Along with palliative medicine, they are the bulwarks against the spread of the concept of actively assisted suicide.
Not only achievement, health and vitality, but also weakness, illness and mortality are part of being human. The most depressing consequence of our tabooing the death is that many are alone when they face death. And tabooing the death means that we exclude the persons themselves who are dying as well. I don't want to moralise about those who cannot find the strength to visit severely ill or dying persons. Often it is fear that weighs them down.
In order to overcome this fear, one must learn to deal with this side of life. In this situation the hospice movement is a blessing. It has spread widely in recent years. In-patient hospices have been set up, and many groups in the hospice movement are motivating people to volunteer to accompany dying persons.
Psychological support is so important here. The one who is dying deserves better than to have attention paid only to his or her bodily functions. Such a person needs holistic attention, which is central to the hospice movement.
"The churches of the two majority confessions are providing help at all levels, but do not see the hospice movement as church work exclusively." These words were part of the statement of the Week on behalf of Life (Woche fYr das Leben) in 1996.
Even though today's hospice movement has its roots in the Christian tradition, the movement distanced itself at first from the church. This has now changed: 80% of hospices are sponsored by church denominations. About a third are Protestant and two-thirds are Catholic. The churches are in agreement on the importance of this work.
People engaged in hospice work do not make things easy for themselves. It is not only their time that they make available. Death must also be confronted at the intellectual level. Death and life in the face of death is a theological issue. The question of the purpose of our life, the hope of eternal life, are unavoidable in these reflections. Those who confront these questions because they are involved in hospice work report that their own lives become significantly more intense. I welcome the intensive hospice work which has now begun at some places in our church.
Extracts from the "Report on events of importance to the church" of the President of the Evangelical Church of the Rhineland to the regional synod on 6 January 2003.