Henri Nouwen in Aging states, "Society does not have room for the elderly. They are ostracized, excommunicated, expelled like contagious lepers, no longer considered as full members of the human community."
...can also be met by providing for the needs of those with disabilities.
The elderly often need physical access to church buildings. They may have a difficult or impossible time navigating their way around without assistance due to vision impairment or mobility impairments. Their hearing may become so diminished that they can no longer hear Mass.
In today's busy society, many families do not care directly for their elderly. They do not provide transportation to Mass or daily care. This leaves the oldest and most frail among us without access to Mass if they can no longer drive. There is a great need for transportation to Mass for the elderly and those with disabilities who either cannot drive or do not own a car. If your parish cannot provide such services, perhaps you can let people know which bus lines run by your church or make arrangements with a local taxi company to provide discounts so that people can afford to take a taxi to Mass.
Your parish can also provide meals for the elderly to take home. Our parish has a refrigerator full of Comfort meals for those who need them. When I was sick I always knew I could go in there and take one if I needed a home cooked meal. What a wonderful comfort that was!
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