Christian care charity: ‘Pray that the elderly will be valued’

A Christian charity that looks after the elderly has said “God has a plan for each person right until the end of their lives”.

Pilgrims’ Friend Society (PFS), which runs Christian care homes around the UK, made the comment after a Commons Select Committee report said that adult social care was unprepared to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Public Accounts Committee accused the Government of a “slow, inconsistent and, at times, negligent approach to giving the sector the support it needed during the pandemic”.

‘Valuable’

Asked how Christians could pray, Louise Morse of PFS told Premier Christian Radio: “We can say ‘Father God, we are concerned about the wellbeing of older people. We know that they’re of value to you’.

God has a plan for each person right until the end of their lives.

“God has a plan for each person right until the end of their lives. Each person is valuable in God’s sight. So, ask Him to influence the minds of those in charge, those decision-makers at the government, keep nagging them.”

Morse said she believed the pandemic had “raised the value” of carers in the eyes of the public and let them see “the extraordinary skills of these patient carers”.

Pilgrim Homes Brighton

In 2008, a PFS home in Brighton had its funding withdrawn by the council over its views on homosexuality.

The Council wanted the care home to ask its elderly Christian residents about their sexual orientation every three months, use images of homosexuals in its promotional literature and show a Stonewall presentation on ‘gay rights’ to staff.

Managers at the care home explained that to comply with the demands would unduly distress the elderly residents and undermine the home’s Christian ethos.

The Council accused the home of “institutionalised homophobia” and removed £13,000 of funding, but following assistance from The Christian Institute’s Legal Defence Fund, the Council backed down and restored the funding.

Govt to issue new DNR guidance after threat of judicial review

COVID-19: DNRs issued to people with learning disabilities

COVID-19: NHS warns that blanket DNRs should not be issued to vulnerable

Related Resources