PASTORAL CARE AND COUNSELING OF THE AGED IN SELECTED CONGREGATIONS IN BOHYEN DISTRICT OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GHANA.

Abstract

This research focused on the study of pastoral care of the aged in the Bohyen District of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. The target population of the research involved the aged in the church with ages between 60 – 65 years and above. Six congregations with long years of establishment were selected. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of research were employed. A questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The study sampled 60 aged members with 10 from each congregation who were selected through the purposive sampling technique. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS and interpreted. Findings indicated that the aged in the Bohyen District of the Asante Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana have challenges regarding pastoral care. Spiritually, it was established that a greater majority of the aged though able to attend church and communion services were experiencing low frequency of pastoral visitation which meant a lot to them to share their inner world at personal levels. Economically, it was revealed that the aged had a lot of health and economic challenges with limited economic support. The study further showed that the church had little or no welfare incentives that could help alleviate the economic plight of the aged in the church through provision of support to their health needs. Socially, the research showed that some of the aged did experience abuses from the society as well as the church to which the church must take pragmatic steps to address. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends that the church takes a serious look at providing effective pastoral care to its aged, to address all their challenges and to integrate them well so that they can have a balance and a meaningful life, living at peace with themselves and with family members and with the church to which they belong.