The ability to practice one’s faith is important at any age, but it can become especially valuable for residents of senior living communities! For spiritual seniors, a faith-based living community can be a wonderful place to retire and be surrounded by like-minded individuals. Continued spiritual practices can help senior living residents feel a sense of purpose, have a positive and hopeful outlook, and even improve their physical and mental health.
At St. Anthony’s, we have seen the value of integrating spirituality into our culture, and we believe spirituality should be an essential part of the senior living experience. Our mission has always been to love and serve others with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. All of our residents have the opportunity to strengthen their faith or continue a life-long spiritual journey.
Faith-based Senior Living
Faith-based senior living can be a joyful option for seniors of many faith backgrounds! Here at St. Anthony’s. Contrary to religious stereotypes, faith-based long-term care facilities such as St. Anthony’s are often very welcoming and supportive of all faith and personal backgrounds, whether they share our affiliation or not. We are a Catholic-sponsored community that provides residents with access to a Chapel, daily Mass, Bible studies, and other spiritual practice opportunities, but we welcome all faiths to be involved with our religious activities!
Did you know? 90% of seniors consider themselves spiritual and participate in consistent religious practices such as worship services. Spirituality has the power to encourage, unify, and add meaning to everyday life. Let’s explore the many benefits of choosing a faith-based senior living community.
Spirituality and Mental Wellness
There’s plenty of joy to be found in transitioning to senior living, from making new friends to enjoying lower-maintenance life. But sometimes, seniors living in long-term care facilities can experience a great deal of loss, including the loss of physical or mental abilities, loss of loved ones, or loss of autonomy. This can result in grief, and sometimes mental health challenges like depression and anxiety.
Practicing faith gives seniors a feeling of peace and support when dealing with these difficult life changes and new circumstances. For those who have been dedicated to religious practice throughout their life, spirituality can help them to feel stability and security and improve their overall mental health. They may even be more likely to share openly with a priest or other religious authority figure than they would with a doctor or therapist, making access to religious support an integral part of mental health care.
At St. Anthony’s, many of our residents share our Catholic faith. We are proud to be a faith-based senior living community that welcomes and loves all of our residents, and we strive to support them spiritually through on-site spiritual leadership. We are sponsored by the diocese of Kansas City St. Joseph, and believe that God has called us to a mission of welcoming all peoples and all faiths to our community.
Spirituality and Health
Beyond the mental health benefits, access to faith-based living and consistent spiritual practice have been shown to help improve physical and physiological health! Spirituality gives people a feeling of connection and trust in something outside of themselves.
For seniors who have engaged in religious traditions throughout their life, the familiarity and nostalgia of singing memorable hymns, reading the Bible, and the ritual of attending Mass improves memory retention and can ease the effects of memory loss illnesses like Alzheimer’s and dementia. This is why we incorporate weekly spiritual practices such as Mass and bible study into our Life Enrichment Calendar for Memory Care residents!
These practices can even be physically beneficial to residents of long-term care facilities. Participating in spiritual activities gives seniors motivation to leave their apartments and move around more, stretching their muscles and getting in some light exercise walking to and from the chapel.
Social Needs in Long-Term Care
Humans are social creatures by nature — we need community and companionship! For people of all ages, faith traditions can provide vital community. There’s a sense of solidarity and joy to be found among others who share a similar spirituality.
Similarly, a shared spirituality at St. Anthony’s helps our residents feel rooted and connected. Attending spiritual events helps seniors to regularly get out and spend time with their peers and caregivers alike as we all bond over our shared values and beliefs. This also creates a natural support network for residents, who will build friendships and be able to rely on each other, especially if family members live far away or are unable to visit frequently.
If seniors are isolated and don’t feel valued, they face many risks that come with loneliness, including an increased likelihood of depression. But when senior living residents feel supported and loved by their faith-based community, there are countless benefits!
Come Stay, Play, and Pray with Us
At St. Anthony’s, we welcome everyone, regardless of faith, to come enjoy the best years with us. We have a dedicated chapel with priests and the Sisters of St. Anne in residence and a healthcare Order from India working in our Assisted Living and Memory Care communities. We believe every single resident is a beloved child of God, and strive to treat each of them with love, value, and dignity.
Not Catholic or Christian? You’ll still feel at home here! Our faith tradition guides how we treat our residents, but we are inclusive of residents regardless of their background. Everyone is welcome here!
You do not need to pray with us to stay with us, but we will pray and care for you with all the honor and love you deserve. This is a mission God has given us, and we invite you to join us in this mission! Whether you are preparing to downsize and move to Independent Living or have a loved one in need of long term care, we would be blessed to welcome you into the St. Anthony’s family. If you have questions about what faith-based senior living looks like, contact us.
