Hodgson House Chaplaincy

HODGSON HOUSE CHAPLAINCY.

This report is developed against certaincharacteristics in New Zealand society with respect to our ageing population, especially the rapidity with which it is taking place together with the often expressed concern that we are not ready for it.

International reports state that this is the first generation in which the majority of people can expect to live to an age in which the average life expectancy equals or exceeds the age of mandatory retirement. It is not unusual for residents and folk in the community to say they never expected to live as long as they have andone elderly resident recently told me that he has now been retired longer than he had been in employment .

Other notable features include the fact that this generation of elderly people have lived through more changes than probably any previous generation in history, foremost among these include attitudes to marriage, divorce, families living apart or world wide, gender issues, value systems, technology, to name but a few. The elderly have also had to cope with multiple losses: the loss of a job at retirement, change of role in the family, change of physical capacity, the loss of partner or close companion of many years which has precipitated his or her institutionalization, which some find quite devastating. Still others struggle with the effects of the Second World War on the lives of so many . Some never seem to have fully recovered from the trauma they experienced.

I could go on, but I mention the foregoing because I have noticed all of these features in the day to day ministry at Hodgson House. The residents are a typical cross section of New Zealand society, some have a deep and active Christian faith, many have less of a commitment, and others would seem have little or no obvious faith to fall back on as their days shorten and finally end. That said it must be recognised that for spirituality has many facets, being expressed in a variety of formats both religious and secular, including, but not limited to religious and philosophical beliefs, prayers and meditations.

Opportunities for worship at Hodgson House are held on a regular basis involving clergy and laity from mainstream Tauranga churches. At this point I must record my deep appreciation for the work of so many volunteers and the unstinting support they give to the work of the chaplaincy service. It is also appropriate at this point to recognise the input of the staff at Hodgson House, whose professional and team support to the churches work is outstanding.

Taken together a blend of ministry has come together in ways that are making a difference in matters of life and of death.

J. Derm Buchanan

Chaplain, Hodgson House, Tauranga,

July 2014....