Seniors Ministries

Take Time to Be Wholely

Background

Parish nursing began at Emmanuel United Church in 1999 and continues today. One of the programs started in 1999 that is still ongoing is Take Time to Be Wholely. It was created to meet the need for physical activity for seniors identified in a needs assessment conducted in 1999. As part of the outreach mandate of the church, the program was advertised in area churches as well as being accessible to the Emmanuel congregation.

Purpose

The program has two purposes:

• to provide a quality exercise program led by a qualified instructor
• to provide fellowship for the participants in a Christ-centred atmosphere as part of promoting their health and wholeness

Since the parish nursing ministry at Emmanuel fosters understanding the relationship among lifestyle, personal habits, attitudes, faith, and well-being, this program fits well into the health and healing ministry the parish nurse is part of.

Program

The program began on Friday mornings from 11:00 to 1:00. It includes an hour of exercise followed by a short reflection and a lunch planned by the parish nurse and prepared by volunteers. A small charge covers the cost of our instructor as well as the lunch.This program has been very popular with seniors ranging from 55 to 95 years old. An average of 30 seniors participate each week.

Participants felt the program was so important to their overall health that a second program was started on Monday mornings, and many of the seniors attend both sessions. The Monday program runs for one hour, and several participants stay afterwards and bring their own lunch. The hour-long exercise program includes working with light weights, resistance activities, chair exercises, and relaxation.

As one of the participants stated, "I cannot miss this program. It is essential to my flexibility and strength. When I was ill and had to miss several weeks, I noticed a big difference in my balance and overall well-being. Besides, I missed all my friends."

Role of the Parish Nurse

The parish nurse plays an important role in Take Time to Be Wholely. Not only does she plan a nutritious lunch, but she is also available to the seniors to address any of their health concerns. Often she is busy in her office before the program taking people's blood pressure, listening to concerns, and being a supportive presence to the group. The parish nurse also plans the reflection and gives thanks and shares in the meal.

Benefits

We are very proud of the Take Time to Be Wholely program at Emmanuel. Research clearly shows us that regular physical activity benefits seniors in many ways. A few of these include

• continued independent living
• feeling better physically and mentally
• increased energy
• fewer aches and pains
• improved posture and balance
• stronger muscles and bones
• improved self-esteem

Our soul, body, and mind are not independent of one another. Our health and wholeness requires a balance among all aspects of our life-physical, emotional, spiritual, and social-with our relationship with God as the centre. Take Time to Be Wholely, a health ministry, promotes this balance.

This model is one every church could adopt. I hope others will feel motivated and encouraged to look at starting a program in their own faith community.

-Maureen Farnand, RN, BscN, Parish Nurse, Emmanuel United Church, Ottawa