We all like to pretend that ageing only happens to others and not us. “Ageing gracefully” is a course for those who are ready to face up to this reality. Through biblical themes we will try to understand God’s purposes in a long life.

Together we will explore how Christians might respond to the challenges we often face towards the end of our earthly life – both in ourselves and in caring for those we love. What might it mean to remain fresh and green still bearing fruit into old age?

The course will run over 6 sessions lasting 2 hours with a coffee break. Each session is essentially Practical Theology – mixing biblical and church perspectives with my medical perspective on challenging issues around ageing.

Commences 1 October for 6 weeks

Session 1: ‘What do I mean by Ageing?’
Session 2: ‘God’s purpose in ageing’
Session 3: ‘Finding Healing in the Fourth Age’
Session 4: ‘Giving and receiving care’
Session 5: ‘Dementia and personhood’
Session 6: ‘Ars Moriendi’

The course will be led by Dr Ian Donald.

Ian was a consultant in Old Age medicine at Gloucester until 2020, having qualified from Cambridge and Edinburgh, and trained in Nottingham. His long-standing interest in the organisation of services for older people in the community probably stems from his family background of general practice, and in his last 10 years of work focussed on developing acute “front door” frailty services. He is married to Philippa, vicar in the Church of England, and has three grown up married sons and three grand-daughters. He is Trustee with Age UK Gloucestershire and Harnhill Christian Healing Centre. Recently he has developed a 6 week course “Ageing gracefully” which he is facilitating around the Diocese.
Book by using the QR code below.

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