Caring

Attending to the spiritual life and health of families and persons with significant disabilities, including mental illness, often means providing a caring presence during times of crisis. The basic rule is, Be there at critical times: at a birth, a diagnosis, the struggle for appropriate services. We don't have to have answers.We do have to hear and hold the questions, struggles, and pain.

Spiritual care for families living with disability looks beyond crisis care to offer ongoing expressions of Christ's love.

While crisis care is important in providing encouragement and a tangible sign of God's presence in the midst of chaos, spiritual care for persons and families touched by disabilities also looks at the larger picture. Congregations are uniquely qualified to provide such care on an ongoing basis, but it takes giving deliberate thought to developing a sustainable plan.

When persons with significant disabilities emerge from a crisis and life appears to be more "normal" again, many hidden needs can remain, including the very real danger of depression and collapse.

Often, the church community breathes a sigh of relief when the crisis is over, but the family may be left with significant questions and considerable anxiety and stress. We hope that the resources for caring shared here will support and encourage you in the vital role of providing an ongoing, tangible presence of Christ's love.

Learn more

Caregivers
- Circles of Care
  Options for providing a congregational network of care for persons with significant disabilities and their families.
- Families
  Frequent concerns for families when a member has a disability: caregiving, siblings, transition to adulthood, respite, life planning, long-term support, Anabaptist disability providers, and more.
- Support Groups
  Starting and sustaining a group for mutual support of people dealing with similar challenges.

Opening Doors

After We're Gone
Considering your mortality can be uncomfortable, but end-of-life planning is necessary for everyone, especially for primary caregivers of someone with a disability.
Caring over the long haul
Christine Guth shares a sustainable pattern of support that gave her the encouragement she needed to manage complex family issues without wearing out her support team.
Bridget's Blessing
A friend, met just minutes before, soothed my deepest grief for my aunt with the sweetest of smiles and the deepest of understanding. Like my aunt, my new friend had Down Syndrome.
Caring
All posts with resources for caring from from ADN's blog, Opening Doors

Connections

Becoming More Inclusive
In this edition of Becoming More Inclusive, Kathy challenges us to make time for rest in our lives and to help facilitate it for others. For caregivers finding rest can be especially difficult, so how can the church step in to help?
Care for the Caregiver?
An increasing number of people in our church congregations are thrust into caregiving responsibilities. How can the church best support its caregivers?