NEW HORIZONS in the ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
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NEW HORIZONS in the ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 6 Why We Also Sing Hymns 16 Summer Reading Club JUNE-JULY 2017 // by Alan D. Strange // by Anne Shaw Caring for Our Aging Parents by Lisa Askey and Althea Scott // 3 VOLUME 38, NUMBER 6 CONTENTS New Horizons in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church Editor: Danny E. Olinger Managing Editor: James W. Scott FEATURES Editorial Assistant: Patricia E. Clawson Cover Designer: Christopher Tobias 3 Caring for Our Aging Parents Proofreader: Sarah J. Pederson Editorial Board: The Committee on Christian By Lisa Askey and Althea Scott Education’s Subcommittee on Serial Publications 6 Why We Also Sing Hymns © 2017 by The Committee on Christian Education of By Alan D. Strange The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are 8 The Reformation of Vocation from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing By D. G. Hart ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (We use the 2011 revision.) 16 Summer Reading Club Articles previously published may be slightly edited. By Anne Shaw New Horizons (ISSN: 0199-3518) is published monthly except for a combined issue, usually August- September, by the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 607 N. Easton DEPARTMENTS Road, Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA 19090-2539; tel. 215- 830-0900; fax 215-830-0350. 10 Letters to the editor are welcome. They should deal Home Missions with an issue the magazine has recently addressed. The productive pastor Their language should be temperate, and they may not charge anyone with an offense. They should be brief, 12 Christian Education and they may be condensed by the editor. Send inquiries, letters to the editor, and other Evangelism at MTIOPC • Our membership correspondence to the editor at [email protected]. vows • Out of the mouth … Send address changes to [email protected]. Allow six weeks for address changes. 14 Foreign Missions The digital edition (PDF, ePub, mobi) and an archive of previous issues are available at www.opc.org. The sovereignty of God in missions Views expressed by our writers are not necessarily 17 those of the editors or official positions of the Prayer Calendar Orthodox Presbyterian Church. 19 Copies are distributed free to members and friends Stewardship of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Nonmembers are asked to donate $20.00 for an annual subscription Great Commission theology (USD $30.00 if sent to addresses in Canada; $40.00 21 elsewhere abroad). A free e-mail PDF subscription is News, Views, & Reviews also available. Requests for a subscription should be sent to [email protected] or the address below. Periodicals postage is paid at Willow Grove, Pa., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to New Horizons in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 607 N. Easton Road, Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA 19090-2539. Downingtown OPC in Downingtown, Pa., held its first worship service on Sunday, April 30. About fifty people from the community and several nearby OP congregations gathered for worship. The group meets at 10 a.m. at the Downingtown Senior Center each week. Regional home missionary David Holmlund (front left) is leading worship and preaching. 2 / NEW HORIZONS / JUNE-JULY 2017 CARING FOR OUR AGING PARENTS LISA ASKEY AND ALTHEA SCOTT // Every day she drove to her childhood home to check on her mom and aunt. She helped them clean and shop. She took them to numerous doctor visits and for medical tests. Paying the bills and dealing with medical claims fell to her. Lately, she had noticed that both “sandwich generation” situation: raising Because Lisa’s father wanted to re- her mom and aunt were declining phys- families and taking care of aging parents main in his independent apartment as ically and mentally. But they wanted to at the same time—while working out- he became weak, Lisa moved to part stay in their home, and they assured her side of the home and serving the church. time in her job as a school librarian, they could help each other cope day to For Lisa, it began by caring for both of hired part-time and nighttime aides, day. Then came the day she arrived to her parents, who lived two hours away. transported her father to dialysis (or find one of the stove burners on, the Every Saturday for months (and some- paid for transportation) and was his coffee pot boiled dry, and a tea towel times during the week) she went to pay daytime aide as well. Lisa’s husband and dangerously close to the flame. Neither bills, fill weekly medicine containers, children held down the fort at home woman remembered turning the stove pay the agency that provided full-time and sacrificially helped as needed. on. As she looked around, she thought, aides, do laundry, shop for food, clean Althea’s mother came on short no- “It’s 5 p.m. They are still in their bath- the house, and drive one or both of her tice “just for a while” to recover after robes and their morning pills are in the parents to doctors’ appointments. surgery, but ended up living with the containers. What do I do?” When her mother was failing, Lisa Scotts until her death six years later. This particular scenario is real. found her a place in a nearby medical During that time, her father moved in Haven’t we all heard similar (or worse) facility, and her father came to live with for his final months. Many time, space, stories? What should this daughter do? her and her family. Then after the death and financial adjustments needed to be While there is no perfect plan for work- of her mother, Lisa helped her father made. Although Althea is a nurse, it ing through this life challenge, and so- pack up and sell his house and move was tough to add a 24/7 job to family lutions are as individual as the people into a nearby continuing care facility. life. Involvement with children’s activi- involved, helping our aging relatives Lisa quickly learned that, at her ties became difficult. Meal prep became navigate their golden years is an act of father’s facility, she needed to go to spe- more complicated. Oversight of her kindness and compassion. The authors cific people for answers to her questions parents’ finances became her job. Their learned during their own caregiving about various charges, doctors, trans- house was already full, but they reas- journeys that specific and practical ad- portation, and physical and occupation- signed bedrooms. Bathroom time was vice is a blessing, and so we will share al therapy on site. Getting to know the at a premium. Althea left her part-time what we learned. social worker, chaplain, and head nurse job. The whole family had to make ad- We both found ourselves in the was helpful as well. justments. Each family member served NEW HORIZONS / JUNE-JULY 2017 / 3 both the care-needer other family members. and the caregiver ac- The child doing cording to his or her the caregiving filters ability and skill. The communications from children kept Grand- medical people and fi- ma company, prepared nancial companies, and her meals, and gave then makes appropriate personal care. Althea’s decisions. We suggest husband was an advo- that you send letters cate for his mother- to all relevant people, in-law, and he took stating that your care- Althea for many walks giver has your permis- to let off steam. God sion to discuss you, graciously sustained your benefits, and your them during these assets. This answers all Althea Scott caring for her mother difficult years, often HIPPA laws and other providing creative so- privacy issues. lutions to specific challenges through working. To have someone who loves us Explain your medical insurance her parents themselves, her brothers, walk with us through the process is a and prescription plan to your caregiver. and their church family and friends. gift both to be received and to be given. A list of all your medicines, doctors, In the story at the beginning of this Advice for Aging Parents pharmacy, insurance information, and article, the caregiver was a daughter like emergency contacts, along with a brief us. In fact, 75 percent of caregivers are Be proactive. Put your house in or- medical history, significant health con- women, 85 percent care for a relative der while you are healthy. Before Moses ditions, and special needs should be in or loved one, and 70 percent are be- died, God gave him directives regard- a prominent location in your house and tween the ages of 50 and 64. The aver- ing the leadership and the future for the in your purse or wallet. This is extremely age caregiver lives 20 minutes away and people of Israel. Moses obeyed God and helpful to ambulance and emergency gives care 24.4 hours per week, while 25 put the house of Israel in order before room personnel. percent of those caregivers provide 41 he died (Deut. 31:14ff.). When your children or a wise or more hours of care per week. Thirty- We strongly suggest you finalize friend tells you that your health is im- five percent of caregivers provide help your legal matters. Have a will, a finan- pairing your driving, graciously give up in their own home, and 48 percent in cial power of attorney, and an advanced your driver’s license. If they suggest that the home of the recipient. The average directive and medical power of attorney repairing the roof should be left to oth- duration of providing care is four years.