Monday, October 13, 2003

Getting old can be humiliating, funny, erotic

Heather Thomson PhD believes that frail aged people are icons of Christ, because, like him, they experience not only physical pain but also humiliation and ignobility.

Dr Thomson, the first person to receive a Doctor of Philosophy from Charles Sturt University's School of Theology, is fascinated in how "humour can rise above despair and grief" and that "even though there's so much loss and grief in old age, there are also a lot of jokes - not just people laughing at older people, but them also joking."

As one of the keynote speakers at the Fifth National Ecumenical Aged Care Chaplains' Conference, Dr Thomson will focus primarily on her work on the image of God and its relevance to ageing.

At Merroo Conference Centre, Kurrajong, October 20-23, the Aged Care Chaplains' Conference will be a time for theological reflection, professional development, mentoring, retreat and prayer. Its theme is "The Pastoral Partnership - In the Song and Dance of the Rhythms of Life".

Included will be a reflection on a "biblical collection of erotica" by the Rev. Dr Les Underwood. Dr Underwood said he would be looking at how the Bible's "Song of Songs" relates to intimacy and self-awareness.

"At the conference," he said, "we want to focus on the natural rhythms of life, which influence us."

Another speaker, Diana Davidson, who worked in pastoral care and in the education of pastoral care workers for 20 years, said, "Elderly people, particularly in institutions, can have the rhythm of life broken or distorted."

In her address, Ms Davidson will reflect on her own pastoral care experiences, both in acute and palliative care settings. "My spirituality is very much about rocks and oceans, sky and sea, moon and stars, being a part of, and connected to, creation."

Meaning, purpose and identity

Rosemary Bond will take up the themes of meaning and self in a session on dementia and dying. With Richard Fleming she will explore how spiritual activities can bring back meaning, purpose and a sense of identity for dementia sufferers.

Ms Bond works in Mission Support and Development with the Hammond Care Group, and has a background in acute, remote and aged care. She is interested in the role local congregations can play in the lives of people after they enter care. "It's a challenge, as part of the church family, to see how we can continue to help other people who are part of that church family to remember who God is, and that he loves them."

Co-presenter Richard Fleming, who established the Dementia Services Development Centre with the Hammond Care Group, believes that spiritual issues need much more attention in dementia care. He highlights a definition of spirituality given by authors Murray and Zenter in 1986 as "a quality that … strives for inspiration, reverence, awe, meaning and purpose, even in those who do not believe in any god."

The challenge for carers is to help dementia sufferers experience these feelings in their day-to-day lives.

Ruth Bright OAM, a pioneer in the field of music therapy and author of numerous books and papers, will be another of the conference's keynote speakers. Although she is known as a music therapist, her two specialties have been grief and loss and ageing.

"I see as very important that all of us who work with older people have to have an awareness of spiritual values and of the way they'll express them. I've been writing about this lately. Many people who seem to have rejected faith often haven't rejected faith, but the manifestation of it."

On the first day of the conference, titled "Who Calls the Tune?", Hugh Mackay will talk about cultural expectations. Mr Mackay is Australia's best-known social researcher and commentator. He is the author of several books on Australian social trends, among them Reinventing Australia, Turning Point, Why Don't People Listen? and several works of fiction.

The second day, "Will you be my partner?", will focus on gender and sexuality. And the third day, "Forgetting the words and facing the music", will focus on dementia and dying.

The fifth National Ecumenical Aged Care Chaplains' Conference is being organised by UnitingCare Aged Care Chaplains' Network.