How Lutheran Services is Sharing Joy With All Ages

Remember from earlier this year the ABC show Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds?  It brought together young children and the elderly to spend time together, and posed the question ‘could this encounter between young and old help transform the lives of the elderly?’

The team at Lutheran Services already knew the answer to this question, with a similar program already running at Immanuel Gardens, Buderim.

‘What’s wonderful to see is the understanding and acceptance from the younger people of frailty, as well as seeing the joy that is evoked from the older years from just being engaged,’ says Rose Plater, Executive Lead of Aged Care Services.

This sense of joy, Rose believes, is how the gospel comes to life within Lutheran Services.  They are continuing to pursue this next year with a new program called Moving Moments, the vision for which is helping older people stay connected with others, by bringing people of all ages together in a community hub.

‘What we are working towards, and this is across all our services, is people feeling connected; that sense of connection to community; having place and having purpose.’

For Rose, innovation is key in what they do, and also for what we do in the wider church, to share the gospel and joy with others.

‘There’s a saying which says “yes is the answer, what is your question?” It’s about always thinking first of how something can be done, rather than why you can’t do it, and I think having that philosophy is the best way for us to move forward.  There are lots of possibilities out there and we need to look more to how we can do things rather than the reasons why we can’t.’