A top-quality senior living facility comes with a wide range of benefits and advantages. Some of these perks support your physical health or mental health. However, senior living can also support your spiritual health and well-being. That’s especially true if your chosen facility has a chaplaincy program. This kind of program can not only enhance the overall quality of your daily life. In addition, it can offer much-needed spiritual resources in times of personal crisis.
At Parkway Place, our seniors can experience the benefits of a chaplaincy program. Learn more about the benefits of faith-based programs in senior living today by calling Parkway Place at 281.305.1846 or contacting us online.
What Is a Chaplaincy Program?
A chaplain is a theologically trained person who works in a private chapel or a non-religious organization. Some people with this title are active members of the clergy. Others are laypeople. While they have training in a particular faith, they often offer non-denominational services. In these circumstances, chaplains can provide benefits to people from all walks of life. However, some organizations employ multiple chaplains who offer services in different religious traditions.
What kinds of work do chaplains perform?
Depending on the institution, potential activities include:
- Conducting religious rites
- Providing spiritual guidance or advice
- Offering emotional support in times of crisis or high stress
- Some, but not all, senior living facilities offer chaplaincy programs.
Benefits of Faith-Based Programs in Senior Living
Many non-profit senior living programs are faith-based. What does this mean? In one way or another, religion or spirituality plays an essential role in residents’ daily lives. By law, senior facilities cannot exclude potential residents based on religion. This means that people of other faiths are also welcome even in a community where one faith predominates. You may even enjoy living in a faith-based program if you have no particular religious affiliation.
There are many common advantages to living in this kind of senior community. Examples of the benefits of faith-based programs in senior living include:
- Feeling a deeper sense of belonging in everyday life
- Sharing your days with like-minded friends and neighbors
- Having an extra layer of personal support when times are tough
- Being able to maintain your religious ties and traditions
- Enjoying access to services and guidance that fit your needs
Religion and spirituality are cornerstones of many people’s lives. If this is true for you, the benefits of a chaplaincy program may include an overall sense of improved well-being.
Health Benefits of a Chaplaincy Program
Access to a chaplaincy program can also provide some notable health benefits. For example, research shows that an active spiritual life can lower your risks for depression. It can also reduce your stress levels and make you more stress-resistant. That’s true even in highly stressful situations. In addition, you may feel less anxious and more at ease as you go about your day.
There are also some potential physical health benefits to a chaplaincy program. For example, you make it easier to maintain healthy blood pressure by lowering your stress levels. In addition, research shows that an active spiritual life may help improve your immune function. Finally, for a number of reasons, increased spiritual fulfillment is linked to greater longevity.
Learn More About the Benefits of a Chaplaincy Program at Parkway Place
For more information on the possible benefits of a chaplaincy program, reach out to Parkway Place. We have extensive experience with faith-based programs in senior living. We’ll be happy to explain the many advantages of this spiritual approach.
Parkway Place also supports your efforts to keep faith and spirituality as central aspects of your life. That’s part of our core commitment to helping you feel a sense of connection and purpose in senior living. To learn more, call us today at 281.305.1846, or you can also reach us through our brief online form.