COVID, MENTAL HEALTH, AND AGING: OPPORTUNITY…AND RESPONSIBILITY?

A Free Webinar – June 29, 2021

 

We are in the midst not only of a COVID pandemic, but also ‘serious mental health crises’ because of the pandemic.  One out of every 10 people now reports having an unmet mental health care need;  7 out of 10 Ontarians think there will be a ‘serious mental health crisis’ because of the pandemic.  “We’re going to see this level of trauma for many years,” said the executive director of trauma healing at the American Bible Society (ABS).  The Online Canadian mental health portal had 1.2 million users in this, its first year.  More than one in five (21%) Canadian adults aged 18 and older screened positive for at least one of three mental disorders that were assessed: major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.  First responders, many nurses, more than half of the 2,600 registered practical nurses, police officers, and firefighters all report struggling with their mental health.  41% of adults report symptoms of anxiety disorder and/or depressive disorder during COVID compared to 4% pre-COVID.   During the first wave, long-term care facilities and retirement homes accounted for more than 80 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in the country, resulting in uncalculable grief.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously said provinces “failed to support seniors”; in fact, Canada had the worst record among wealthy nations for COVID-19-related deaths in long-term care.  Many experts also confirm that coronavirus isolation is taking a toll on mental health of seniors.  Almost 38% of Canadians reported that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they experienced feelings of loneliness or isolation. Those reporting this impact of lockdown and social distancing had more than a 4x higher prevalence of major depressive disorder (29% versus 6%), generalized anxiety disorder (25% versus 6%), and probable PTSD (13% versus 2%), compared with those who did not report experiencing this impact.

This free Webinar will introduce the mental health crisis which is, no doubt, all around and perhaps within, each of us.   We will then focus on LONELINESS in this first webinar.  Our aim is both to understand and to consider biblical responses.  We are also preparing to hold a series of webinars, as appropriate, on other relevant mental health topics related to Covid and Aging, including Grief, Anxiety, and Depression.

June 29, 2021 7-9 PM EDT via Zoom

Register in advance for this meeting by clicking HERE; Deadline for registering – June 28th, 12 noon EDT.

Presenters include:

Mike Krabbendam: Mike has been involved with health care provision for over 45 years.  He currently holds the position of Administrator / DOC at Manoah Manor. His academic education is in general as well as psychiatric nursing. Serving the Lord, church membership and involvement are very important values that he and his wife hold to.  He is a member of the Chilliwack Canadian Reformed Church and  has served multiple terms on his church council. Together with his wife May, they are blessed with 5 children and 22 grandchildren.

Tom McCormick: Tom has ministered for over 45 years in Nursing Homes, and has served as a chaplain at both a Long Term Care Home and a Retirement Community in Richmond Hill.  In the 1980’s he published a manual for training others. In 2003 he coauthored Nursing Home Ministries.  Currently he is facilitating a program in Ministries for the Aging.  Tom has served as an overseas missionary in Peru, Papua New Guinea, Cameroon, India, and China.  He lives near Toronto, Canada.

Additional Panelists

Rev Matthew VanLuik: Matthew is pastor of the Grace Canadian Reformed Church in Brampton, Ontario.  He has been a pastor for 36 years, serving churches in Ontario and British Columbia.  He has his M.Div. from CRTS in Hamilton and ThM from Regent College, Vancouver.  He serves as the chairman of the board of the Word and Spirit Institute.  He has published on the Song of Songs a book titled, “The Song of Songs; the greatest love song.”

Chaplain Chris Herman: Chris is a husband and the father of three adult children. He graduated in 1988 from the United States Air Force Academy and recently completed his coursework for his MA in Ministry from Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University. He was the Minister in Charge leading the planting of Christ our Hope Anglican Church in Dayton, Ohio. Chris and his wife, Carol, began this ministry together in 1991:  http://lazarusmission.org/.

During the webinar this panel will respond to questions submitted by the attendees and discuss ideas to benefit:

  • church leadership

  • family members

  • caregivers (both formal and informal)

  • volunteers

  • church members wanting to make a difference for their isolated brothers and sisters

If you are interested in this webinar, please register HERE

For more information about the webinar, please email the Word and Spirit Institute at: wsinstitute@outlook.com